Eye of the Storm
by The Pale Red Queen
Summary: AU. Tessa Gray was the princess of Idris, off on a diplomatic mission. Will Herondale was a pirate, notorious among all the seas. Jem Carstairs was his first mate, who surprisingly had a soft side to him. What happens when Will and his pirate sea dogs capture Tessa? Will they be the worst of enemies, best of friends, or perhaps more?
1. Captured!

**Hi guys! So because there hasn't been much activity on _A Year Abroad_, I decided to do another AU fic. And this time pirates! Hence it being slightly inspired by _Pirates of the Caribbean_, but not as much so. I'm super stoked about this... I have it all mapped up and y'all are in for a bunch of surprises. And, since it's summer break, I'll be able to update this more often.**

**Anyways, I promise to not go MIA as I have on my previous fic. I'm not abandoning that one completely... I'll get back to it when I get more motivation. So, I hope to put more time and energy in this one. Yippee!**

**Okay, enough talk. Onwards with the first chappie!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing! TID and all the amazing characters belong to Cassandra Clare._  
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* * *

"_My bounty is as boundless as the sea,  
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,  
The more I have, for both are infinite."_

- William Shakespeare, _Romeo and Juliet_

"Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me," Tessa Gray sang under her breath as she looked out into the horizon. Her slim hands were absentmindedly twirling the delicate clockwork angel necklace, dangling just below her neck. Tessa sighed heavily as the ship made it's way along the rough ocean. That was all she could see. Water, water, and more water. Not a single land mass in sight.

It was hell, it really was, but hopefully she would see land soon. Hopefully. Tessa was surprised that she had not gone crazy yet, being on the same small ship and seeing the same old people day after day and eating the same food.

Tessa took a deep breath and resumed her singing. If only she could have the life of the free; not necessarily a pirate's life, but another life where she did not have to worry about every little thing about running a kingdom. If only –

A hand grasped Tessa's narrow shoulder and spun her around. She was eye to eye with a pair of cat eyes – Magnus Bane, first mate to the ship.

"What were you singing there, Princess?" Magnus asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Yes, Tessa Gray was a princess. The princess of Idris, to be exact, where her parents Richard and Elizabeth ruled together as king and queen. Idris was the most powerful kingdom in all the lands and seas, which meant the fate of the land rested on Tessa. Well Tessa, and her brother Nathaniel, who was equally responsible for the crown.

"Nothing," Tessa said, hastily tucking her necklace underneath her dress. When King Richard had given her the necklace, he had instructed her to show no one and tell no one about it. This meant not even Magnus, who Tessa trusted with her entire life.

Magnus released his grip on her shoulder and strolled to stand next to her, looking out ahead into the vastness of the ocean.

"It's all rather depressing, isn't it?" Magnus said to no one in particular, waving his arms in a dramatic motion.

"What is?" Tessa asked curiously.

Magnus spun around to face her fully. He was peculiar looking, compared to others in the kingdom: tanned skin with black, pointy hair, and an abnormal set of cat eyes. Whenever Tessa would ask him about it, he would respond by giving Tessa a smug smirk and a half-hearted wink and then just walk away. This time there was such a burning intensity in his eyes that Tessa had to look away.

"The sea," Magnus continued, "it stretches for hundreds of miles and who knows what darkness lurks beneath it. One minute, you may be happily sailing, and the next minute, some mysterious creature may reach up and grab you and before you even know what's happening, poof, you're gone. It's all rather exciting, isn't it?" He grinned wickedly.

"It is?" Tessa said in confusion.

"Of course, it's not what is always below, but also what's above," Magnus went on as if Tessa hadn't even spoken a word. "I believe the perils above are even more dangerous, Miss Gray. Once you go down, you're known to be gone forever, but if you disappear from above, anything can happen to you. There are worse states than death."

"Magnus, where are you going with this?" Tessa narrowed her eyes.

"Pirates!" Magnus stated simply, jutting his finger in the air. "These waters are cursed with the bloods of those nasty sea dogs, so I warn you not to sing of them again. Words should not be taken so lightly."

And with that, Magnus turned around on his heels and strutted towards the main cabin, but then glanced over his shoulder at Tessa. "It's getting late. Sophie is waiting for you in your quarters so you can prepare for supper. Nathaniel will be waiting for you." He opened the door and disappeared from view.

* * *

"I just don't understand, Sophie," Tessa sighed as she sat down in front of her dressing mirror in just her underclothes. "Why must I go on this trip?"

"You know it's for the best, miss," Sophie said over her shoulder, as she brushed Tessa's maroon gown for supper.

"Please don't call me that, Sophie," Tessa said not unkindly.

"Whatever you say, miss," Sophie repeated again. No matter how much Tessa requested Sophie not to call her that, her maid still insisted upon it. Tessa considered the other girl more of a friend than a maid. Tessa glanced over at Sophie, who was hard at work on her dress. She was the same height as Tessa with dark brown hair and an awful scar that tore across her face, but despite that, she was still beautiful.

"There, it's all ready," Sophie said, holding the dress up in front of her. Tessa rose from her seat and walked over to Sophie, who helped her put on the dress. Sophie busied herself with lacing the back of the dress, which was especially tight and made it difficult for Tessa to breath.

"I'm not ready for this Sophie," Tessa groaned. Tessa was aboard the ship for one reason: to go on a diplomatic mission to the neighboring kingdom of Alicante. Neighboring actually meant across the sea in a seven-day journey. It was only day three.

Tessa was coming of age, meaning that she could resume the throne at any moment. Well, Nate was first in line, but anything could happen and Tessa could become queen at any time. This meant learning all the politics behind the job, which Tessa absolutely despised. Her parents thought it best for this trip to be a learning experience. Of course, Nate was with her to help her out, so she wasn't completely alone on this.

"You can do it, miss," Sophie said encouragingly, "just think positive thoughts. Nate has done this plenty of times, and if he can do it, then so could you." She had a point. Nate wasn't particularly the sharpest sword in the land, but he did know how to talk his way through to get what he wanted.

Sophie was done lacing up the dress and busied herself with Tessa's hair. Tessa worriedly glanced down at her neckline to see her clockwork angel necklace was safely tucked inside.

"It's not only that, but everything is happening rather fast, isn't it Sophie?" Tessa went on. "I mean first this, and before you know it, I will be getting married. I'm too young for this!"

"Relax, miss," Sophie said soothingly, "remember, your own mother was past twenty when she married your father. You're only eighteen and there's still a ways away for you to go. Just focus on the little things now." Sophie stepped back, examining her work. "There, you're all ready."

Tessa turned around to get a good look at herself in the full length mirror. The dark red dress made her brown hair look even darker than it normally was and her gray eyes stormier. In a way, she looked and felt older than she was. Maybe she was ready to take on this mission.

"It looks great, Sophie," Tessa said, smiling at the other girl.

* * *

"What's bothering you, Tessie dear?" Nate asked, peering at his younger sister from over his food. They were eating the same thing they ate every day: hot stew with fresh fish and a side of bread.

"Nothing," Tessa shrugged, avoiding eye contact with her brother.

"Well surely something must be wrong. You haven't even started on your food." Nate pointed at Tessa's untouched meal. Yes, Tessa was getting sick of the same old food every day, but her mind was still preoccupied with the mission.

"I told you, it's nothing," Tessa insisted, and picked up her food and ate it, despite her lack of appetite. "See, I'm fine." Tessa forcibly grinned at Nate, who in return rolled his light blue eyes.

"She's not fine, sir," said Sophie, who had just entered the dining room, which was attached to Nate's quarters, to lay down dessert. "She had mentioned earlier that she was worried about the mission."

Tessa glared daggers at Sophie, who winked in return before slipping out of the room.

"Is that true, Tessie?" Nate turned to Tessa.

Tessa sighed. "Yes, it is."

"We've already been over this Tessa, you have nothing to worry about. And besides, I will be by your side at all times." Nate gave her a small smile. "And, for the record, the first time mother and father sent me on such a journey, I was alone. Not to mention I made a complete fool of myself at the court of Alicante, so surely the standard will be much better for you."

Tessa laughed, but before she could reply, Magnus burst into the room.

"Mr. Bane," Nate addressed Magnus, "but whatever is it?"

"The captain would like me to inform you all that a terrible storm is heading our way," Magnus announced.

Nate clenched his jaw. "Is there anything we can do?"

Magnus shook his head, disappointment crossing his face. "Unfortunately, no. There are no neighboring islands around us. He said that we will just have to endure the storm. And he advised us all to be extra careful. They say pirates are notorious for roaming these seas." At this, Magnus stared directly at Tessa, who took a nervous gulp.

"Thank you, Mr. Bane," Nate said, dismissing Magnus, who left without another glance. Nate turned to Tessa and said, "see Tessa? There are more important things to matter about at the moment."

"Like that will make me feel better," Tessa said, raising an eyebrow.

Nate laughed. "I think it's best we go to bed, and keep our mind off these things. The storm will hopefully pass by then."

"Oh alright," Tessa said, not wanting to argue with Nate. She was exhausted. "Good night, Nate."

"Good night Tessie."

* * *

_Thud._

_Clank_.

_Splat_.

Tessa awoke with a start. She had fallen asleep hours ago to the pitter patter of the rain hitting against her window. But this was no rain, or no storm for that matter. Tessa jumped out of her bed and hurriedly slipped on her shoes and threw on an overcoat over her thin dressing gown. She threw the door open only to see Sophie standing in front of her, a dim candle in hand.

"Sophie!" Tessa exclaimed.

"Shhh!" Sophie whispered, quickly placing her finger to her lips. "They musn't hear you."

"What's going on?" Tessa said, matching Sophie's whisper.

"Pirates," Sophie said simply. Horror flooded through Tessa's veins; she had thought it was all myths and something in passing, but never an actual thing that would happen to all of them.

"What?" Tessa said, astounded.

"No time to explain," Sophie said hurriedly. "The only thing that matters is getting you away from your room and somewhere else for safe keeping. Now, come on." Sophie grabbed Tessa's hand and pulled her along the narrow corridor. She blew out her candle to ensure that no one would see them. And it didn't help that the storm was violently rocking the boat back and forth, making Tessa feel sick.

"Where are we going?" Tessa managed to ask.

"Mess hall," Sophie said without glancing back. "The least likely place they will notice you." The only problem with the mess hall: it was on the other side of the ship, which meant they would have to go outside to get there.

They emerged at the main deck and Tessa gasped at the terror unfolding before her. There was her crew, swords in hand, battling with, sure enough, pirates, of all different shapes and sizes. Much to her surprise, the pirates looked like normal people, but it was hard to discern with the heavy rain from the storm hitting the deck. There were body strewn all over, but to Tessa's relief, she saw their chests rising, giving a hint of life.

"This way," Sophie urged on, "no time to waste." She guided Tessa towards the barrels that lined the edges, scooting behind them. As they approached the main site of action, Tessa could hear the crack of guns and clash of swords amidst the brawl. She tried her best not to look, at the same time trying to hide from the pirates.

"STOP!" boomed a voice overhead, and immediately all fighting ceased. Tessa looked up through her wet strands of hair to see whom the voice belonged to. A tall figure loomed ahead near the main deck, and he descended the steps towards where Tessa and Sophie were standing. A flash of lightning and Tessa could quickly discern his features: he was man – no more of a boy – with a mop of messy black hair, angular features, and blue eyes as dark as the skies above. He would have been handsome, Tessa supposed, if it wasn't for the perpetual scowl that crossed his face.

"Bring them to me!" the pirate commanded his men, pointing at Tessa and Sophie, "and if any one of you makes a move," he threatened, gesturing to Tessa's crew, "then I'll kill you all."

Immediately, a pair of rough hands seized Tessa. She tried to struggle against their grip, but it was pointless. Tessa could see out of the corner of her eye her men gathering up their arms. Nate started towards her, but was quickly held back by one of the pirates.

"No!" Nate shouted, wrestling with the men who held him down.

"I said," said the head pirate with a calm cool, his midnight eyes piercing straight through Nate, "if any of you takes another step, then you're all dead." He spun around and headed towards his own ship, across the narrow boards that connected it to Tessa's. Tessa was pushed closely behind him, and once they reached the pirate ship, she was pushed down to the creaky wooden floors, Sophie right beside her. A pair of boots appeared before her, and Tessa looked up.

"Welcome aboard, Miss Gray and friend," said the pirate in cold voice. "You both are now prisoners on my ship."

* * *

**Chapter 1: complete. Yay! So what's the final verdict? Love it, like it, hate it? Lemme know by reviewing, following, favoriting, or all of them. Let's say, three reviews for the next chapter?**

**Until next time!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	2. Heron the Great

"Prisoners?" Tessa spat in disbelief.

"Why else do you think I attacked your ship, Miss Gray?" said the pirate, his dark blue eyes sparkling in a manic fashion. "I choose my victims wisely."

"Where's Nate? And the rest of my men?" Tessa pressed on.

"Oh, they'll be fine," the pirate said with a careless wave of his hand. "That is if they survive."

"Survive?" Tessa asked in surprise. They seemed unscathed when she left her ship, but then again, everything was a blur due to the terrible storm.

"You really are dim-witted," he snarled. Tessa was beginning to dislike him more and more each second. "My men shot through the bottom of your ship, so it will only be a matter of hours before it completely submerges."

Tessa gasped.

"Now don't worry, my dear," he continued, animosity underlying his voice, "they're smart men. They shall figure it out sooner, but we're just in luck. They won't be able to get on our tail now, will they?" Tessa said nothing. "You bore me. Rise. You too," he gestured to Sophie. Tessa nearly forgot the other girl was there.

Sophie slowly rose, trembling in fear. Tessa wished she could rush over and give her a comforting hug, but she knew this was not the place to do so. Tessa, however, decided to give this man a piece of her mind. So she stayed put, still on the ground in front of his feet.

"Good girl," he said, grinning condescending at Sophie. Tessa wished she could slap that smirk off his face. "Although, that only makes one of the two of you. I said rise, Miss Gray, and if you don't, then you will face horrors much worse than this."

Tessa knew that there was no other option, so slowly she complied. Her bones felt weak and tired, but she would not give in.

"That's more like it," said the pirate, peering down at her. He was tall, Tessa realized, for she was a tall girl herself. He only had an added few inches on top of her tall height. He was young too; maybe only a year or two older than Tessa. His black hair was curling at his temples, due to the rain. He would have been handsome if he wasn't such an ass.

"It seems I have not introduced myself, how rude," he said, though he didn't sound sorry at all, "I am Heron the Great, captain of this great ship, _Ithuriel_."

Tessa gaped. Now this is one pirate she heard of; everyone in Idris and the neighboring kingdoms knew who Heron the Great is. Stories of him looting village to village, killing person after person. He was ruthless, vile, and selfish. Tessa had heard many myths, ranging from him being an orphan to him being from a rich family. Regardless, he was feared throughout the lands.

But Tessa never expected him to look like this. He was so young for such a horrible reputation. The stories had always made him seem a lot worse than he appeared, minus his arrogant attitude. Then again, stories only go so far.

"Shocked, are you?" Heron the Great said, glancing back and forth between Sophie and Tessa. "While you both are aboard _Ithuriel_, you shall call me Lord Heron."

Tessa scoffed. "That's rather cheesy, isn't it? Some lord you are."

_Crack_.

It happened way too fast. Tessa placed her hand to her cheek, which burned in pain. She looked at 'Lord Heron', who lowered his hand, pure loathing storming his eyes.

"How dare you!" Sophie shouted, anger lacing her voice.

"Do you want to be next?" Heron challenged. Sophie shrank back and shook her head in fear. "Good. Then keep your mouth shut."

"That's no way to talk to Sophie," Tessa said, narrowing her eyes coldly.

"Sophie, is that your name?" Heron turned to Sophie, who was still shaking in horror. "What's your last name?"

"Collins," Sophie whispered, barely audible.

"Ah, Miss Collins. Do you think I should give Miss Gray here a piece of her mind?" Sophie said nothing, so the Heron raised his voice. "I said, do you think I should give Miss Gray a piece of her mind?"

"Yes," Sophie said so quietly that only he and Tessa could hear.

"I can't hear you," he said, craning his neck towards Sophie.

"Yes," Sophie said louder, her voice quivering.

The Heron turned away from her. "Lightworm! Over here, front and center." Tessa had barely noticed the pirates standing around them. There were about twenty of them, and they were all young like Heron the Great. One of the men emerged and made his way towards Tessa and Sophie. He was taller, even taller than his captain, if that was possible. He had messy brown hair which was darkened by the rain and piercing green eyes. He seemed to have a permanent scowl on his face.

"You know what to do Gabriel," he commanded the man, Gabriel.

Gabriel was holding something in his hand, and as he approached Tessa, she saw that it was a whip. Tessa felt tears brimming her eyes, but willed herself to stay strong. Gabriel raised his hand, and Tessa closed her eyes, lowering her head.

"Stop!" shouted a voice, calm and firm at the same time. Tessa opened one eye, and saw that Gabriel was paused, midway, whip still in hand. Someone else emerged from the crowd; another man, but this one with silver hair and ethereal features. He made his way towards Heron, coming eye to eye with them. Tessa noticed they were the same height, and in the presence of this silver-haired man, the Heron seemed to relax.

"I can bare no more," said this newcomer. "Please stop. I know this is not you, torturing these innocent young women." A look of understanding passed between them, and the Heron subdued.

"Very well," he said, "you always know how to get the best of me, James." The pirate – James – smirked at the Heron. "And Lightworm, you're dismissed." Gabriel huffed and stormed away from them, clearly not happy with the outcome of the situation.

"Take them to the brig," the Heron commanded his men. "We'll figure out what to do with them then."

* * *

"This is awful," Sophie said. Tessa could only agree.

They were sitting in the cramped corners of the brig below the main deck of _Ithuriel_. It was awful, it really was. There were no windows and the only thing between them and the outside was the heavy cell door, which they could barely see out miniscule window at the top. Actually, they could barely see each other because it was so dark and damp inside their cell.

"Why are there such horrible human beings in this world, Sophie?" Tessa murmured. "Why can't we all just get along?"

"I dunno," Sophie said quietly. "And I'm sorry, miss. He should not have treated you that way."

Tessa shivered. She was still wearing her dressing gown with her overcoat, which she tugged on tighter to keep herself warm. "I told you not to call me that, Sophie. If we want to get out of this together…"

"We will Miss Tessa, we are going to get out of this alive," Sophie said, softly, but firmly.

"What do you think they want from us? I mean they obviously knew who we are."

"They knew who you were," Sophie corrected.

"Oh Sophie," Tessa trembled. "This is all my fault. I dragged you in this, when all they wanted was me."

"No, don't say those things Tessa!" Sophie exclaimed. Tessa smiled at this. "You know that I'll always be there for you. We're in this together."

"Thanks," Tessa said, wrapping her arms around Sophie and pulling her into a quick embrace. "You're the best friend I could ever wish for."

She didn't even hear Sophie's response, for she had drifted into soundless sleep.

* * *

Tessa awoke with a jolt to the sound of her cell rattling. The heavy door opened and standing before her was a tall, but muscular man. In the dim lighting, Tessa could make out the halo of sandy hair and sea green eyes, which were staring right at them.

"Sophie Collins?" he said in a pleasant voice.

"Yes?" Sophie said, unsure of herself.

"I am Gideon Lightwood," the pirate introduced himself, "and under captain's orders, you are released from this prison."

Tessa and Sophie gasped simultaneously.

"But what about Tessa?" Sophie commanded.

"I'm sorry Miss Collins, but the captain's orders were only for you," Gideon said apologetically.

"I am not leaving without Tessa," Sophie stated firmly.

"No, go Sophie," Tessa urged Sophie, though she hated saying it. "You saw how he acted last night. I think it's best if you obey his orders."

"But –," Sophie started to say, but was interrupted by Gideon.

"I think it's best if you listen to Miss Gray," he said. "We don't want to anger the Heron even more than he already is." There was a certain bitterness to his voice.

"Go, Sophie," Tessa pressed on. Reluctantly, Sophie rose from her spot and slowly sauntered towards the open door. She looked over her shoulder and Tessa gave her an encouraging smile.

"I'm sorry Miss Gray. I truly am," Gideon said, and he sounded like he really was.

He turned around and shut the cell door behind him.

* * *

Tessa had nothing to do except sit around and wait. Literally sit and wait. There was nothing to see around her, so she just sat around for some activity to happen. The most that happened was that one of the pirates had come to hand her food – stale bread – and then wordlessly left.

It was absolutely disgusting to eat and as hard as a rock.

Nevertheless, Tessa ate it. She realized she hadn't eaten anything since her meal with Nate the night before.

_Nate_. She ached to know what happened to him and if he was still alive. But Tessa had faith in her elder brother. He was a fighter and never gave up, even if it was a band of notorious pirates that attacked his ship. He would make it alive, along with Magnus Bane and the rest of his crew.

Nighttime eventually fell upon the ship. Well, Tessa guessed it was night because it became darker in her cell, despite the fact that it was already dark.

The familiar jolt of the door came, and Tessa craned her neck to see yet another figure standing there, but this time holding a candle to illuminate the whole place. It was the same silver-haired pirate – James – who intervened the other night.

"Apologies Miss Gray if I disturbed you," he said kindly, and gave her a warm smile. Tessa liked him already. He seemed to be one of the few nice people aboard this hellhole.

"Oh, don't worry, you weren't disturbing me," Tessa said hastily. "There's nothing to do here anyway, so this was a nice change."

James chuckled. "I forgot to formally introduced myself to you. I'm sorry, that was rude of me. My name is James Carstairs, but call me Jem."

"Well, it's nice to meet you Jem," Tessa smiled.

"The pleasure is mine," Jem matched her smile with one of his own. It really was infectious. "Unfortunately, I'm here under the captain's demands."

And Tessa's good mood just spiraled downwards. "What does he want?"

"I know that he's been tough on you," Jem said, "but you have to understand that he can be… difficult.

"Tough? Difficult?" Tessa retorted. "More like the devil. I wonder who raised him to be such an awful person."

Jem seemed to flinch as if that physically pained him. "He's a good man, he really is. It's just… this is not him. He was once a man that went by the name of Will Herondale."

"Herondale?" Tessa asked. The name sounded familiar, but Tessa couldn't place a finger on it.

"Do you know the name?" Jem asked, arching a delicate silvery eyebrow.

"No," Tessa said dismissively.

"Anyway," Jem went on, "he was struck by a horrible tragedy and took up this lifestyle to escape the demons of the past."

"Well, if it was so horrible, you would expect him to be kinder."

Jem stared at her pensively, and then, "I'm here because he requests to have dinner with you."

"He what?!" Tessa asked, thoroughly confused.

"He wants to have dinner with you, Miss Gray. And I think it's best that you do not turn down the offer, otherwise he will be furious with you. Who knows how much longer you'll be down here then."

"Fine," Tessa obliged, seeing no way out of this.

"Oh, and before I forget, wear this," Jem threw her a dark blue dress. Odd; it matched the color of Will's eyes. Tessa hadn't even noticed she thought of him as Will – it seemed to suit him better.

"You probably don't want to wear that thin dressing gown anyway," Jem said, gesturing to Tessa, who flushed. "I'll let you get dressed." Jem stepped out and shut the door behind him.

Tessa scrambled up from her spot and took off the overcoat and the nightgown, which was a breeze. Now putting on the new dress was a lot more difficult, for she didn't have Sophie to have her. After what felt like forever, the dress was finally on, her clockwork angel necklace tucked beneath it. She walked over to the door and knocked on it.

Jem opened it and offered Tessa his arm, who took it. "Shall we go to dinner, Miss Gray."

"Yes, let's just get this over with," Tessa said, and Jem led her for the first time out of the darkened misery.

* * *

**And another chapter, as promised.**

**First off, let me just say that YOU GUYS ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! All I asked for was the three reviews, but I got 14! That's like nearly 5 times as much! And thank you for everyone who favorited, followed, or even just read this story. You all get a virtual cookie!**

**So what did you think about this one? Will's just an ass, huh? Or Heron the Great, as I should say... yeah sort of a cheesy name. I was originally going to put the dinner with Will, but this chapter was getting too long, so I decided to put it in the next chapter. And boy, are you guys in for a treat ;)**

**Oh and sorry for taking long to update this... I've been caught up in watching Game of Thrones hehe. So let's say 5 reviews for the next chapter, and I update fast?**

**You guys are the best!**

**Peace!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	3. A Fine Dinner

**And I'm back! Before I say anything more, I'm going to start responding to reviews. I feel bad for not doing it before in my other stories! I'll do it for the previous chapter (2).**

**The Iron Sister: Oooh long review! The Wessa dinner may take you by surprise ;) But yeah, I love making Will an ass... it'll just make you love him even more later. I'm happy you liked the last chapter. And yeah, I'm super excited to see where this story goes from here.**

**millisiana: Yay! I'm happy you love it. Yeah I haven't either, and I saw this idea somewhere else on fanfic, so decided to go from there.**

**Guest: Here's the update!**

**Cree917: I'm definitely continuing this! I'm just so invested in the idea that I can't give it up. **

**nicoleherondale: It will be Wessa! With a mix of Jessa, but primarily Wessa. Glad you liked Heron the Great! I was scared it was too cheesy D: But you're in for a treat with the dinner. And yeah, I'm like obsessed with Pirates, so it's so much fun writing this. Though, it gonna be different, but still pirates and all that good stuff.**

**Guest: Another person who likes Heron the Great! Haha. And yes there will be Sideon! They're one of my favs**

**TIDLover: Awww! I will keep writing this haha. Here's the next chapter as promised :)**

**Vialovesbooks: Thank you! As for your questions, spoilers ;) You'll find out in due time.**

**SilverCarstairs: Hi friend! That's one heck of a long review, and it makes me super happy hehe. First off, thank you for reading this story and taking the time to thoroughly reviewing it... it means a lot. You did analyze the name correctly! It took me forever to come up with the name, and I was scared that everyone would think it was stupid, but I guess not haha. As for Sophie, I made her weak on purpose, kind of like how she is in CA. But she'll progress for sure! And Charlotte will be on the ship, along with almost all the other TID characters. You'll see for yourself in this chapter :) As for my age, I usually don't like to say how old I am, but let's just say that in the US, I'm not old enough to buy a drink legally haha. But I think you're an amazing author! I love your story "Love This Town", and it's really unfortunate what happened :( I hope you find time to write it up again because I want to know more about your story!**

**Sapphire131: Thanks! Yes I'm obsessed with Game of Thrones! I haven't started on the books, but I will once I'm all caught up with the TV series. I just finished season 3... that red wedding gah!**

**Thalia: Yes for Wessa! But not yet haha. You're gonna have fun with this chapter.**

**artistofthemind: Thanks! I'm glad you like it. You'll find out what happens with Tessa and Will's story later. It'll all tie together in the end :)**

**Guest: Thanks!**

**BlueMuffins: Thanks! Here's the next chapter :)**

**Guest: Awww thanks a lot! That means so much. I will be continuing A Year Abroad, but I'm not sure when, due to the lack of activity on it. As for my TDA fanfic, I'm actually brainstorming some new ideas now because of CoHF. Most likely I'm rewriting it, and I'll republish the first chapter within the week, so stay tuned!**

**Guest: Haha thanks!**

**herondaleinstruments: Awww I'm glad you like my stories! Wow you've read it a couple times? That's so sweet :) It means a lot to me. Well, here's the dinner scene... I hope it lives up to your expectations!**

**Okie that took a while, but here's the chapter!**

* * *

"Where is everyone?" Tessa asked in curiously. The moonlight was reflecting off the water and giving the ship an ethereal glow.

"Supper," Jem said, "down below us in the mess hall," he added, answering Tessa's unanswered question.

"How is Sophie?" Tessa said.

"She's fine," Jem said with a note of finality, so Tessa said no more. They crossed to the other side towards the quarterdeck, where there was a door beside it.

"Captain's quarters," Jem announced. "Will has a private dining room attached to it, where you will be joining him this evening." Jem turned to look at Tessa; the moon seemed to further emphasize his silver features. He took Tessa's hand and gave it a light, but encouraging squeeze.

"You'll be fine, Miss Gray," he said kindly.

"Please, call me Tessa," Tessa said warmly. It was the least she could ask of him.

"Very well, Tessa," Jem said with a smile. "Just try you're best not to make him too angry."

"That's helpful," Tessa said with a sigh.

"You've got this. I'll be out here if anything." Jem knocked on the door.

"Come in," said a muffled voice. Heron the Great. No. Will.

Jem pushed the door and gesturing for Tessa to enter.

"Thank you James, that will be all," said Will. Jem shut the door and just like that, he was gone.

"Miss Gray, stop standing there and do come in," he said in annoyance once Jem was gone.

Tessa fully stepped inside and got a good look at the place. It was small, Tessa supposed, but bigger than her cell. In a way, it was more homely and comfortable than the dungeon would be. The soft glow of the candlelight was giving the place a warm glow to the room. Taking up most of the room was a long wooden table and seated at the head was none other than Heron the Great.

"Are you going to sit or what?" Will demanded.

Tessa made it a point and sat down in the seat furthest away from him on the opposite end of the head.

"You can sit closer, I won't bite," Will said, his eyes sparkling in the light. Hesitantly, Tessa arose from her seat and sauntered to another one adjacent to Will.

"Please, eat," he said, gesturing towards the food in front of them. There were all sorts of breads and a nice pot of fish stew ready to be eaten. Reluctantly, Tessa served herself, while Will watched her curiously. Tessa began eating and her mouth savored the explosion of flavors; she hadn't realized that it had been a while since she had a decent meal.

"How is it?" Will asked, breaking the silence. Tessa almost forgot he was there. Almost.

"It's delicious," Tessa said, speaking the truth. She looked up at her food to see Will smiling at her. He was looking especially handsome, she supposed; he was the traditional white shirtfront tucked into breeches with a royal blue coat atop it, which brought out the midnight color of his eyes and made his black hair look even darker, if that was possible.

"Glad you like it, Miss Gray," he finally said, before digging into his own food.

"Please, call me Tessa," Tessa corrected him automatically without even thinking. She immediately flinched in her seat, wanting to slap herself for speaking up.

"I am captain here so I get to decide what to call you, Miss Gray," he said in a firm voice. "Now, how are you liking your time aboard this glorious ship?"

Was he seriously asking this? "It's fine," Tessa lied, just trying to please him. He was like a bomb, ready to set off at any moment without warning.

"Is it really?" Will said dubiously.

"Why am I here?" Tessa said directly, not wanting to wait longer for the answer. The anticipation was killing her.

"Let me ask you: why you think you're here, Miss Gray?" Will said with a dangerous edge in his voice.

Tessa shrugged. He was making this a hell of a lot more difficult than it should have been.

"Okay, let me make this easier for you," Will said, sounding slightly irritated. "What are you?"

"Excuse me?" Tessa said, arching a delicate eyebrow.

"What are you?" Will repeated, rolling his eyes.

"A princess," Tessa said, feeling like an idiot.

"Yes, and why do people like princesses?" Will went on.

Tessa didn't say anything.

"You really are dim-witted, aren't you?" Will said rudely. "I'll just answer this for you," Will went on, "you're rich."

"I'm not dim-witted," Tessa snapped back, her temper breaking. "You're selling me off for ransom, aren't you?"

"Ah, so the princess finally catches on," Will said, leaning back on his seat and lazily propping his boots on top of the table.

"But why only me? Why not Nate?" Tessa said.

"Because you're a girl," Will sneered. "And from what I've heard, you are the smarter one, so you're worth a lot more."

"But I may not even get the crown," Tessa argued. "And my brother is a smart man. He can fend for himself."

"So explain why he couldn't protect you when I, Heron the Great, attacked your ship."

"It was because you said you would kill them otherwise," Tessa said coldly.

"Did I really say that?" Will said absentmindedly. "I don't recall."

"The hell you do," Tessa snorted.

"Don't you dare talk to me that way, Miss Gray," Will said in a voice so low that it rattled her bones.

"You're not the boss of me," Tessa retorted.

"I'm captain of this ship, damn it," Will shouted, slamming his fist against the table.

"You're Will Herondale," Tessa snapped back, not daring to raise her voice.

"What did you call me," Will said in shock.

"That's right, you're Will Herondale," Tessa said, feeling victorious. The feeling diminished, though, when Will abruptly stood up from his seat and seized her arm, roughly pulling her away from her seat and marching her out the door. Tessa didn't even have enough time to react as Will dragged her away from his quarters.

"Where are you taking me?" Tessa demanded.

"Shut up," Will yelled, not daring to look at her. Tessa, frightened by the change of behavior, did as she was told and kept her mouth shut as he pulled her along behind him. They entered the same narrow corridor and reached the familiar prison door. Will swung it open and threw Tessa inside, slamming the door in her face.

"Don't ever call me that again," Will threatened through the tiny window. "If you ever challenge me again, then consider yourself dead.

He locked the door and stormed away without another word.

* * *

Sophie missed Tessa. Though she was surprisingly enjoying her time otherwise on board, it didn't feel the same without Tessa by her side. She had known the other girl for so many years, and despite the fact that Sophie was Tessa's handmaiden, they had become something more than that.

When Gideon had released Sophie, he had taken her to the crew's quarters, which consisted of several bunked beds. He had instructed her that under Heron the Great's orders, she was now to become part of the crew. Strange, Sophie had thought to herself, but she decided it was best that she not argue with the captain… he was frightening and his temper was not one to argue with.

The crew, however, was not like their horrible captain. Most of them were kind to Sophie and welcomed her in. They even had a few tricks up their sleeve, as many had engaged with her in teaching her sword fighting. Oddly enough, Sophie enjoyed it. If only Tessa was there with her.

Sophie's duties, however, were mainly to attend to the crew. The Heron had apparently known of Sophie's past with the Gray family, and used her skills to the benefit of his men.

Besides doing busy work aboard _Ithuriel_, she also helped the cook, Bridget, prepare for food. She was a spritely young woman with flaming red hair who mainly kept to herself, except for when she sung depressing songs. Sophie was glad to be helping the sailing master, Henry, who manned the ship's wheel, but also had a penchant for wacky inventions. Then there was Henry's wife, Charlotte, the doctor who also served as just another officer aboard the ship. Cecily, a girl younger than Sophie who bore a striking resemblance to the Heron, was the navigator and seemed to have extensive knowledge of the seas.

She particularly liked Gideon, the boatswain who made sure the ship was in perfect condition, and Jem, first mate of the ship.

Sophie had tried asking them what the Heron wanted with Tessa in particular, but none of them seemed to know. Most of the time they just heeded to their captain's demands; he usually had an ulterior motive to anything, yet didn't share it with anyone. Except Jem. Sophie could tell that Jem knew what plan the Heron was hatching for Tessa, but he wouldn't say anything. She also noticed that she didn't know the captain's real name, and that the others just called him the Heron.

It had been two days of assimilating herself to this new pirate life, and Sophie was leaving the mess hall after a long supper and making her way towards the sleeping quarters. Someone had grabbed ahold of her and pulled her to the side.

"Jem," Sophie said, glad to see a familiar face. "What is it?"

"It's the Heron," Jem said, worry lacing his voice.

"What did he do this time?" Sophie asked. There seemed to be so many flaws with him.

"Tessa," Jem said. Panic seared through Sophie's veins.

"What happened to her?" Sophie said, all alert now.

"He's got her locked up," Jem grimaced. "After their dinner, something awful must have occurred. The Heron is so furious he won't even talk to me." Sophie had heard that the Heron demanded a private dinner with Tessa, and Sophie had been on her toes about it. She was scared for Tessa, seeing the way the Heron treated her the first night on deck. This was even worse.

"He what?" Sophie shouted in shock. "We have to see her Jem!"

Jem shook his head morosely. "I tried, but he's got Gabriel guarding her at all times."

Sophie hated Gabriel, though his brother Gideon was the polar opposite.

"That means we're not giving up, Jem. We have to help Tessa," Sophie said stubbornly. Jem only smiled at her.

* * *

As punishment, Tessa received no food or water. She began to lose track of time and wasn't sure if it had been hours or days since she last ate. On top of that, there had been no contact to the outside world. Tessa hated this. Absolutely hated it.

And Will? She didn't even want to think about him. No wonder people ranted about him being the worst pirate in all the seas… she was really beginning to understand. How could he be so cruel? And what could have triggered such a reaction? What was so bad about his real name?

Tessa bothered not to ponder about these for too long. Her head started to hurt. And not having food or water did not help

Tessa suddenly heard the rattling of keys and shaking of doors, jolting upright in her cell from where she was seated. Was someone finally coming for her?

The door opened and standing before her were two figures, one holding a candle to their faces. Sophie and Jem.

"Sophie! Jem!" Tessa exclaimed, struggling to sit up.

"Be careful there Tessa," Sophie said, coming over to sit by her. Jem quietly shut the door, allowing privacy between the three of them. He came over and set something in front of her. Food. And a glass of water.

"You didn't have to," Tessa said modestly.

"We had to," Jem said firmly. "Now, eat."

Tessa didn't even think twice and scrambled towards the bread, devouring it so fast that it was done before she even noticed. She then downed the water in just two gulps.

"We don't have much time," Jem said, looking around nervously. "We have Gabriel distracted for just long enough."

"How are you doing?" Sophie said worriedly.

Tessa shrugged. "Better now that you both are here."

"I'm sorry Tessa," Jem said. "I really am. It is just so cruel the way he's treating you."

"It's my fault really," Tessa said. "I shouldn't had been so rude to him."

"He started it though," Jem reasoned with her. "There was once a time that he was a kind man. But those days are long gone. I am ashamed of what he has become."

"We'll try our best to get you out Tessa," Sophie said encouragingly.

"Don't bother," Tessa said. "The Heron has made it clear what he wants."

"Nonsense," said Jem. There was a bang and a clatter outside.

"That must be Gabriel," Sophie said, suddenly in high alert. "We must get going, Jem."

Jem nodded and stood up, making his way towards the door, Sophie at his heel.

"Bye Tessa," Sophie said. "We'll try and be back. In the meantime, we'll see if the Heron can do anything to let you out of here."

And just like that they were gone.

And Tessa felt even more alone than before.

* * *

**Now here's my real A/N! Sorry it took forever to update again... this time blame Game of Thrones. I had started writing this a couple days ago, but I got way too into the show and just cruised right through the third season. That red wedding though... I needed some therapy after so writing this helped.**

**OKAY enough with that. Lemme just say that you guys are amazing! Again! 32 reviews? I only asked for 5, but wow! You guys seriously mean everything to me and are the real reason this story keeps going.**

**So, with that in mind, could I get 7 reviews for the next chapter? And don't forget to favorite or follow! Or do all of them!**

**Until soon!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	4. Change

**Okay, here are review responses for the last chapter!**

**millisiana: You'll see about Will being nice sooner or later. And yes! I will definitely have Will's history explained sometime during the story. I'm super excited about it, so I hope everyone else is too!**

**nononononononono: What a fun name you got there :) I'm glad you like this idea! Awww yeah I'm a Wessa fan too, so I hope this goes according to plan. Enjoy the chapter!**

**TessaElsaHerondale: Yeah, he is an ass. Maybe your reason is right though ;) Oh wow I didn't even notice that Jessie wasn't in this! Guess I'll have to add her, so thanks for that haha. I think I will add more Sideon to this later.**

**Guest: Thanks! Here it is!**

**SecretCookies: Happy that your excited for that! I can't wait too, especially with CoHF out. Hmmm you'll find out about Will later :)**

**Sapphire131: Ugh tell me about it. The red wedding was just awful :( Here's the new chappie!**

**Personorwhatever: Thanks! I'm glad you like my stories :) You will see Cecily in this chapter actually haha. **

**Guest: I tried to write as fast as I could! I'm glad that you're eager for this :D**

**Vialovesbooks: Thanks! Awww glad to know the anticipation is high :)**

**LightwoodLady25: Thanks! You're too kind :) Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

"Will, try and be reasonable here," Jem argued.

"I am being completely reasonable Jem!" Will exclaimed in exasperation, pacing back and forth.

"Then explain to me why throwing Tessa in a cell and giving her nothing to eat or drink for the past couple days is reasonable," Jem challenged dangerously.

They were in the Will's room, or the captain's quarters as the others called it. It was attached to the private dining room where Will had his dinner with Tessa the other day. It was roomier than the other rooms aboard the ship, which made sense since he was the captain. However, Jem was the only one allowed in Will's quarters. Well besides Cecily, who was Will's sister.

"You're calling her Tessa, are you?" Will sneered. "I guess you both are on a first name basis. What's next, you're going to sleep with her?"

"Will, don't," Jem said coldly, narrowing his eyes right at Will. An understanding of some sort passed between the two, and Will subdued.

"Fine," Will sighed in defeat. "But what were you doing visiting her, James? You knew it was strictly against my orders."

"You were starving her, William," Jem said, enunciating every word. "What were we supposed to do? Let her die? You know he wouldn't like that."

At that, Will perked up. There was a long pause, then, "If you were any other man, then I would have thrown you off this ship." Jem tensed, but Will kept going, "but you are more than a brother to me, James I cannot punish you in such a way."

Jem closed his eyes and rubbed his temples in exhaustion. Being the first mate was more difficult than what most others thought. He was in charge of overseeing the entire crew and relaying messages to and from Will, which drained the energy out of him. Sometimes, Jem felt he had much more to deal with than Will. But he couldn't complain; Will was the captain after all.

"Why can't you just release her, Will?" Jem said finally. "Why is that so difficult?"

"I just can't," Will said without further explanation.

"But why?" Jem pressed on.

Tiredly, Will sat down on his chair and sunk into the seat. He buried his face into his hands, his curly black hair falling everywhere.

"I know why," Jem said so quietly that Will had to strain to hear him. "It is because you're weak. And you don't want your weakness to show. Once upon a time, you were William Herondale, part of the respected Herondale family. But you lost everything so you built up this persona of Heron the Great. Tough, notorious, feared Heron the Great. You do all of this just to hide who you are. But that's the catch to all this, isn't it? That you're weak."

"James," Will said feebly, his dark blue eyes looking up from his hands.

Jem walked over to him, staring right at him. "Show me that you're not weak. Show me that you are the strong man that I once knew. I know this is not you and deep down, the real Will Herondale is trying to break free. Not the Heron, but Will."

Will finally lowered his hand and stared into one of the lanterns hanging on the side. He gaze was so deep and focused that Jem thought he would blow out the light.

"You win, Jem," he said in a steady voice, devoid of any emotions. "Tell the crew to prepare a room for Miss Gray."

* * *

Tessa was hungry one again. She completely lost track of time; had it been hours or days since Jem and Sophie had visited? Tessa had no human contact whatsoever since then, and it would only be a matter of time before she descended into madness.

There was a rattle of keys and the door banged open. Tessa looked up to see only one person standing before her.

Jem.

He rushed over to her, laying before her a tray.

"Eat," Jem instructed. Tessa didn't even think twice and dug straight into the food. It was warm bread and hot soup that definitely tasted fresh. Something was definitely up.

When Tessa was done, she wiped her hands on her dress. It was the same dress that she had worn to that awful dinner with the Heron. Or Will. Or whatever he wanted to be called, but Tessa didn't care. What she wanted was a bath… she probably reeked now.

Tessa nearly forgot that Jem was still there, watching her intently.

"Come now," Jem said, standing up and helping Tessa up. He had a surprisingly firm grasp.

"Where are we going?" Tessa said in confusion, as Jem let go of her hand and led her out of her prison cell and once again through the narrow corridor.

"To your room," Jem said.

"My room?" Tessa said, perplexed by this sudden change.

"Yes your room," Jem said, not looking back.

"Let me guess, captain's orders?" Tessa said in sarcasm.

"Actually, yes," Jem simply replied.

Tessa was struck speechless and totally taken aback. Since when did Will care about her and her wellbeing?

They had reached the outside, and the sunlight struck Tessa directly that she had to shield herself from being blinded. It was most likely high noon; otherwise, it wouldn't be as bright. As they made their way across the deck, Tessa could see the crew, hard at work in keeping the ship going and afloat. Jem and her reached the other side, where the captain's quarters were, but instead of going in there, Jem led her to a set of stairs that descended below deck.

As they made their way down, Tessa noticed that there was another hallway, but this one not as narrow and very well lit. They passed the mess hall, which had a few stragglers, probably finishing lunch, judging by the position of the sun.

Jem careened around the end of the corridor, Tessa on his heel, and they were face to face with a door. Jem pushed it open and ushered Tessa inside.

"This is normally the guest room, but you will be staying here during the duration of your time aboard _Ithuriel_," Jem instructed. "I'll let you be. There's a tub to wash up and fresh clothes on the bed. Once you are done, you can meet me out here so I can give you a tour."

"Why?" Tessa asked, before Jem could step out.

"What?" Jem said, wrinkling his forehead in confusion. Tessa found that sort of cute, but brushed the feeling to the side.

"Why this random act of kindness?" Tessa reiterated.

"You are the guest aboard the ship, so it only seemed proper to give you the guest room," Jem said.

"But Sophie should be too," Tessa argued.

"Sophie is part of the crew now, so she sleeps with the rest of them."

Tessa raised an eyebrow dubiously.

"I told you that Will Herondale can be a kind man," Jem said, and then closed the door.

_Perhaps_, Tessa thought to herself. But she was not fully convinced; there had to be some sort of punch to this. A notorious pirate like Heron the Great would not suddenly do something this nice. There had to be a catch to this. Or maybe he was genuinely a good person. Tessa highly doubted that, though.

Tessa took a look around the room. It was much bigger than her cell that had been home for the past few days, but still small. She was on a ship, so that was to be expected. There was a bed in the center of the room, with an intricate wooden nightstand beside it. If only Tessa had her beloved books to place atop it. There was also a folding screen in the corner. Tessa walked over there to see that there was a tub with water, as Jem promised. Where they got the water, Tessa could only ponder, but she could care less. She really needed a bath.

Tessa stripped of the blue dress, which had gotten looser, since Tessa had barely eaten. She probably lost significant weight, and looking in the mirror beside her, she could barely recognize herself. Her gray eyes appeared paler, with dark circles beneath her eyes. Her cheeks had sunken in and her skin had lost color, looking patchy. Her brown hair hung down in ragged strands, making her seem haggard and unkept.

Tessa lowered herself into the tub, and nearly jumped. The water was freezing. It was better than nothing. Quickly, she got to scrubbing herself with the lavender soap that was left on the side. Dirt and grime came off her skin, turning the water black. Once she was done, she got out of the tub and wandered over to the bed to get a good look at the clothes that were left from her.

There was men's clothing.

Women's undergarments as well, but men's clothing: a white shirtfront, black breeches, and black boots. Tessa didn't know what to do, but it was the only clothing she had, unless she wanted to put that dress back on. But it needed a wash.

Seeing she had no other option, Tessa reluctantly put on the clothes. At least the undergarments were familiar. But the breeches made her feel exposed and nearly naked. She was so used to wearing dresses, so the whole feeling was alien. Tessa tucked in the ends in the boots and made her way towards the door. She cracked the door open, unsure of herself.

"Jem?" she whispered.

"Yes?" came Jem's voice.

"Are you sure these are the right clothes?" Tessa asked.

"Positive," Jem said without hesitation. "You're part of the crew now, so you should dress like them. There are more pairs like that in the dresser across from your bed. Now come along so I can show you around."

Tessa stepped out, and Jem smiled at her, leading her towards the corridor again.

"This is the mess hall," Jem announced, gesturing towards the same one they passed before. Everyone was gone now. "You'll be dining here along with the rest of the crew. One short bell sound means breakfast, two means lunch, and three means supper."

"Does Will eat with us?" Tessa asked, hoping the answer was no.

"No," Jem said. Good. "He never does. He just situates himself in his quarters and chooses not to interact with the others."

"But they're his crew," Tessa reasoned.

"They do their job and that's good enough for him," Jem shrugged. "Now come on." Jem led her up the stairs again to the main deck.

"Tessa!" shouted a voice. Tessa looked up and saw Sophie running towards them, beaming at her. Behind her was another girl.

"Sophie!" Tessa said, and gave the other girl a tight embrace. When they finally broke apart, Tessa took a good look at her friend. She was wearing similar clothing to Tessa and seemed to be healthier, even happier.

"I heard he released you! I'm so glad for you!" Sophie said, jumping up and down in excitement.

"Ahem," said another voice, and Tessa noticed the other girl. "I'm Cecily," she said, and extended a hand towards Tessa, who shook it in return. The girl was tall with long black hair and the same dark, midnight eyes that the Heron had, but instead of malice, they held warmth.

"A pleasure to meet you," Tessa said.

"Me too," said Cecily. "And I'm sorry if my brother was being a complete ass to you."

"Brother?" Tessa said in shock.

"And you have now met the friendly and open Cecily, complete opposite of her mysterious brother, Heron the Great," Jem said.

"Yeah, I'm so sorry about that Tessa," Cecily said, and she sounded genuinely sorry for her. "I wish I could do something about it, but my brother listens to no one. That is, except for Jem."

"Don't worry about it," Tessa said. "I'm just glad to be out finally."

Cecily smiled. "I see you're stuck with Jem," she teased, nudging Jem.

"Hey!" Jem shouted, scowling at Cecily.

"Just kidding," Cecily said, sticking out her tongue. "Well, I'll let you finish your tour Jem. Sophie and I have some work to go do. Let me know if you need anything, Tessa. It was nice meeting you!"  
"Nice meeting you too," Tessa said, and watched as Cecily and Sophie leave.

"So what did you think?" Jem said.

"She's the complete opposite of Will. Remind me how these two are related?"

"That's what everyone asks," Jem smiled. "Although they are quite similar if you get to know Will a lot more."

"I would rather not," Tessa said darkly. "On with the tour?" she added before Jem could say anything.

Jem took her around the rest of the ship. At the top of the quarterdeck was the stern to control the ship. On the other side was the crows nest, the highest vantage point. Jem took Tessa up there, and she could see everything from there. Everything, meaning just more water.

Jem took her below deck again, where there was a kitchen by the mess hall. There were also the sleeping quarters, where the rest of the crew slept. Jem explained that they were currently all napping, which would explain why the ship was nearly deserted, as they often did after lunch when there was nothing else to do. There was even a small library down the hall, as Will was apparently a big reader, much to Tessa's disbelief. Jem had his own private quarters, right across from Tessa's.

Jem dropped Tessa off at her own room before saying a quick goodbye, explaining that he had some important business to attend to.

So Tessa was alone again. She slumped down on her bed, which was remarkably comfortable, and looked out the window onto the open sea. She wondered how long she would be on this ship and where they were taking her.

There was a sudden knock on the door.

"Come in," Tessa announced, flustered.

The door swung open, and standing before her was none other than Heron the Great.

"Oh!" Tessa said in even more confusion, jumping off her bed.

"Do you mind if I come in?" he asked. He was wearing the usual: white shirtsleeves tucked into his own breeches with his thick, but elegant, dark blue coat on top.

Tessa nervously bit her lip. "Of course not," she said, rather hastily. Will stepped in and shut the door.

"How are you liking the room?" he said, looking around, avoiding eye contact with Tessa.

"It's lovely, thanks," Tessa said, staring directly at him.

"You don't have to thank me, thank Jem," Will said, still not looking at her.

"Jem?" said Tessa. She knew Will wasn't behind this.

"It was his idea really," Will said.

"But you must have agreed to it," Tessa said. It had to be true, otherwise she wouldn't be staying in such a nice room.

"Yes," Will shrugged.

"So thank you," Tessa emphasized again.

"Well," Will said abruptly, "I hope you enjoy your stay here." He turned around to leave, but before shutting the door, he said, "and I'm sorry, for before." And he closed the door. Just as quickly as he came, he was gone.

And Tessa didn't even notice the faint blush that spread across her cheeks.

* * *

**Awww so maybe Will does have a soft side :) I hope you all liked this chapter! I wasn't too pleased with the last one, so I tried to make this one better. There's only more to come from here, so get ready for a whirlwind ride!**

**Let me know what you think by reviewing, favoriting, following, and all that jazz. Honestly, you guys are the best!**

**Peace!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	5. Truths and Swords

**TessaElsaHerondale: Thanks! I'm glad you like the relationship build up... it just seems more natural this way. I always like when the guy and the girl hate each other at first... it makes things loads more interesting :P Awww it makes me so happy to know you love my fics! It means a lot :)**

**SecretCookies: Thanks for your support! Yes, we'll get to see more of the real Will soon :)**

**Sapphire131: You're actually going to get Will's story in this chapter! I was going to add it later, but it seemed fitting for this chapter. Hope you like!**

**Personorwhatever: Aww thanks!**

**The-Finale-Hope: Glad you like this story! And don't apologize at all! I'm just happy for your support :) You'll learn Will's back story in this chapter. I'm not sure if I'll fully explain Jem's, but I probably will later on. **

**nononononononono: Thanks! Yes, Will is starting to reveal his softer side now. And yes for Wessa! I ship them so hard... they're like my OTP no shame haha. **

**Vialovesbooks: Thanks! Me too! They're just so irresistible :) **

**Guest: Thank you!**

**artistofthemind: Here it is! Good to know you like the development... I was scared I was rushing everything D: But you'll see Wessa sooner or later :)**

**The Iron Sister: Don't apologize at all my friend! Yay that's good that the dinner was like you wanted it to be! I was unsure if I was doing it right... Will was too harsh in my opinion. But then again, I'm making him harsh for a reason. And you're correct, she did touch a soft spot, which is why Will reacted so vilely. Haha yes, Wessa fantasies are amazing! Sideon will be a valid ship, no worries. I'm not sure when and where I'll incorporate it, but it'll definitely be there. Thanks for your review!**

* * *

Tessa was beginning to fit in really well. It had probably been a week since she had boarded the ship, and there was still no landmass in sight and the crew didn't seem like they were going to stop at any moment. They seemed determined to go wherever they were going.

Nevertheless, Tessa was enjoying herself aboard _Ithuriel_. The pirates were nothing like how the stories portrayed them to be. They were the complete opposite, actually. They weren't the brutal, murderous, bloodthirsty beasts that Nate and other people made them sound like. They were kind and openhearted who welcomed Tessa in and quickly accepted her as one of her own.

That was, every pirate except William Herondale. He continued to be evermore elusive and never truly showed himself. The crew still respected him, however much Tessa detested the man, even if he did show a little pity in giving Tessa a new place to stay, though she knew it was partly because of Jem. But still, when the crew talked of him, it was all good things. Tessa found it hard to believe that he was the notorious pirate that ravaged the seas and destroyed everyone in his path.

With Will aside, practically everyone was great. Tessa had really gotten to know nearly everybody in such short time. Of course there was always Sophie, a steady friend who had always been there for her. Tessa begun to notice that Sophie had a sort of soft spot for Gideon, the man who released Sophie from their cell in the beginning. Gideon was nice, Tessa supposed, but quite shy, much like Sophie.

Then there was Cecily, who was the total opposite to Will. Apart from her appearance, it was hard to imagine they were related. Jem insisted that Will was like that too, but Tessa had to see it to believe it. She often accompanied Tessa everywhere and never really left her side. She was a constant source of entertainment, though, telling Tessa of the wild tales that she had been a part of whilst being a pirate.

Tessa also found herself in the company of Charlotte, the doctor on the ship, and her husband Henry, the master. Charlotte was quite protective of everyone and acted as the mother hen to all. Cecily even said that one person that Will was light on was Charlotte.

Henry, on the other hand, was completely absentminded and seemed like he didn't know what he was doing. This worried Tessa.

"Are you sure it's alright that he's navigating the ship?" Tessa asked Cecily one day.

Cecily brushed it off with a wave of her hand. "I trust Henry with all my heart. And so does Will. He may seem clueless, but he can recite every part of the sea in his sleep. He knows it like the back of his hand." Tessa's uneasiness then faded away.

So that was where Tessa found herself on this particular afternoon: at the stern of the ship looking out at the vast, bottomless ocean before her. The wind whipped her hair around her face and added a slight flush to her cheeks. She was still wearing the shirtsleeves and breeches provided, which were now surprisingly comfortable. She was at first conscious of wearing such revealing clothes, but soon realized that no one gave a damn about it. It was more a way of life than anything else.

Henry stood beside her at the steering wheel, fumbling with something in the palm of his hands.

"What's that you got there?" Tessa asked, eyeing the object that Henry was playing with.

"This!" Henry said excitedly, brandishing the object before Tessa's eyes. "This is – well, I dunno what it's called exactly." His face reddened with embarrassment.

"What does it do?" Tessa laughed.

Henry opened it up, revealing a circle with a spinning needle. "This shows you what direction you're going," Henry said, pointing to the needle.

"Henry, isn't that exactly what a compass is?" Tessa said. Cecily and Jem explained to Tessa that Henry loved to invent wacky things, but Tessa thought this was going too far.

"Yes it is!" Henry said enthusiastically, his bright red hair flying around frantically in the wind. "But this is even better. It tells me if I'm going in the right direction!"

"And how does it do that?" Tessa said, raising an eyebrow.

"You know, I'm not really sure," Henry said, scrunching his forehead and staring at the contraption in puzzlement. Before Henry could say anything more, Jem appeared beside the wheel.

"Hello Tessa, Henry," Jem said politely, nodding at Tessa, then turning to Henry.

"James, my boy," Henry grinned. "What brings you here?"

"The captain would like me to inform you that we are headed to Blackfriars Port now," Jem said.

"Blackfriars Port!" Tessa said. "That's in Alicante."

Jem looked at her sympathetically, clearly understanding what Tessa meant. If she got to Alicante, she may still have a chance to find her brother. Though Tessa didn't see it, there was a sad look that briefly past over Jem's face, but it was soon gone.

"Will has some important business to clear up there," Jem said, a note of finality in his voice.

"Good you told me now," Henry said. "If it was another couple days, we would have been way out of range of Alicante. If my calculations are correct, we could get to Blackfriars by tonight."

"Thank you Henry. Will would much appreciate that," Jem said, giving Henry one of his infectious smiles.

Two bells chimed, echoing throughout the ship, signaling lunch.

"We best go," Jem announced, "or Agatha and Bridget will be putting stones in our soup."

Tessa could only agree, and followed the two towards the mess hall.

* * *

Heron the Great's life had always been hell. It was always constantly changing and he never knew what was creeping around the corner.

He had once been William Herondale, and lived in the kingdom of Idris. Ironically, that was where Tessa was from. His father was Lord Herondale, one of the richest men in the kingdom, though others also knew him as Edmund Herondale. Will lived with his sisters, Ella and Cecily, and his mother, Linette. They were the happiest family, with all the luxuries and everything they needed.

Or so Will thought.

That was until that one fateful night when Will was twelve.

Pirates had attacked the port city where Will and his family lived. As expected, their target was one place: Herondale mansion. Will had always heard the tales of pirates and how they were bloodthirsty men who killed all in their path and stole anything they could lay their eyes on. However, no matter how much people around the mansion warned Will against pirates, the more and more he found them to be fascinating.

So naturally, the pirates made their way to the mansion, destroying the city in their wake. They were lead by the pirate Marbas, one of the worst ever. At the time, Will was purely a stupid child. He was more eager than scared of the pirates and always wanted to see them firsthand. So, he rushed out of the hiding place where he, his parents, and his sisters were all hiding and searched around for Marbas.

And then he saw him, in his father's study.

His excitement was quickly replaced by horror. Marbas was unlike anything Will had imagined… he wasn't even human. He was tall and brooding, with a body of a man, but a face almost like a reptile and colored blue. Will remembered the pirate snarling at him, but before he could react, a figure stepped between them.

Ella.

Ella had followed Will out of the hiding place, unbeknownst to Will, determined to protect her brother. She shouted at Will to hide, and Will found himself hiding behind a bookshelf. He watched in pure terror as Marbas struck his sister down as she tried to face him with a sword, killing her instantly. In a matter of time, he had looted the entire mansion and disappeared.

Will's parents eventually made it down to the study. Will hadn't even budged from their. He recalled the look of despair on Edmund and Linette's faces, as they held their daughter tightly, trying at their best efforts to revive her, but knowing that it was helpless. Will couldn't bear it any longer, and turned around and ran away from his parents, from his family, from the mansion he had grown up in.

He had dedicated the rest of his life to seeking out Marbas and avenging his sister's death. He would never stop blaming himself for what happened to Ella. He will keep going until the day he dies to find Marbas and put an end to the madness that had been driving him up a wall for all these years.

For the next three years, Will worked odd jobs throughout the kingdom, trying to pick up extra cash. He learned that not everything came easy and eventually turned to looting and stealing to pick up even more money. Along the way, he met different people who would later join his crew. Of course, the first he met was James Carstairs at the start of his journey when he was twelve. Jem had encountered a similar fate as Will had, except it was the pirate Yanlou who had killed his parents and poisoned the lot, resulting in Jem's permanent silver features. Will and Jem united on a similar cause: to seek the pirates who destroyed their families.

By the time they were both fifteen, they had assembled their crew and had enough money to buy themselves their ship, _Ithuriel_. Will had even ran into a fleeing Cecily, who had escaped their parent's household, which had fallen into utter despair. At this point, Jem had heard that his uncle, Elias Carstairs, had already found Yanlou and killed him. Nevertheless, Jem vowed to stick by Will's side to help find Marbas. Naturally, Will assumed himself as captain, and for the past four years, they had been sailing the seas in search of Marbas.

In addition to all that, Will had built up his walls. He created this persona of being a feared and notorious pirate just to protect his loved ones. He could not allow for Ella's fate to happen to anyone else. Will hated himself for being so cruel, but what else was there to do?

So how did Tessa Gray play into all this?

At first, Will had no interest in the princess, until a mysterious client showed up. Ever since leaving home, Will did not care at all about the royal families in Idris. But his client struck up an interesting deal: if Will was to bring Tessa to him, then he would unveil some crucial information about Marbas and his whereabouts to Will.

It had been difficult at first, of course, but with Henry's knowledge of the lands and seas and Jem's connections throughout the royals, they were able to track Tessa Gray. Sophie was not part of the plan, but Will figured that it would make things seem less planned if they took her along.

Will didn't like to admit it, but he hated the way he treated Tessa. There was just something about her, her long brown her, her intelligent gray eyes, her ability to question authority, which just drew Will towards her. But Will knew he could not let his walls down and succumb to her.

Will had to keep his goals straight. He had to reach Blackfriars Port and meet his mysterious contact and safely hand Tessa Gray to him. Only then could Will defeat Marbas.

* * *

_Knock, knock, knock_.

Tessa jolted awake. After a heavy lunch, she had found herself back in her quarters, taking just a brief nap. Tessa groggily got out of bed and opened the door, seeing Jem standing before her.

"Jem," Tessa said with a big yawn.

"Oh I'm sorry," Jem said genuinely, "was I interrupting anything?"

"No, don't worry about it," Tessa smiled. "So what is it?"

"I want to show you something," Jem said and gestured for Tessa to follow him. He led her out of her room and to the main deck.

Tessa quickly realized they weren't alone. Sophie and Cecily were already there. And Gabriel, much to Tessa's dismay, was also there. Gabriel was one of the only crewmembers who was not particularly welcoming to Tessa, even after she had been accepted as part of the team. Beside Sophie was Gideon, and the two were facing each other, immersed in some deep conversation.

"Tessa! Jem!" Cecily said excitedly, waving them over. Even Gabriel seemed to make eye contact with Tessa, though he betrayed no emotions whatsoever. Sophie and Giden broke away from their conversation and watched as Tessa and Jem came over, Sophie smiling at them.

"What is everyone so happy about?" Tessa said, laughing.

"You're going to learn how to swordfight," Cecily said, grinning like she took pleasure from this.

"I'm what?" Tessa said, doubling back, her eyes widening in fear.

"No need to worry," Jem said, placing a steady hand on Tessa's shoulder. "I'll go easy on you."

"You!?" Tessa said, pointing a finger at Jem.

Cecily laughed, clearly enjoying this. "You're part of the crew, so you need to learn our ways. And hand in hand combat is the best way."

"I never signed up for this," Tessa said, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Who ever said you signed up for this," Cecily smirked. "And Sophie's been learning too, right Sophie?"

"Uh huh," Sophie said, looking unsure of herself.

"Don't worry, you've been doing great," Gideon said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Sophie seemed to relax under his touch.

"Then if I'm fighting Jem, then why are you all here?" Tessa said, gesturing at the others.

"To practice ourselves of course," Cecily said matter-of-factly. "We're not going to watch you." She spun around and winked at Gabriel before relocating to a different part of the deck. They both drew out their swords before engaging in combat.

"Don't mind Cecy," Jem said, shaking his head. "And I promise, I'll go light on you."

"Thanks Jem, but I haven't got a sword," Tessa said, and then recognized how stupid that sounded.

"We wouldn't expect you to have your own sword," Jem chuckled, and then flourished a sword from his belt, handing it over to Tessa. "Here, take this one," he told her. Tessa took it and felt the weight of it in her hands. It was heavy, but for some reason, it felt natural to be holding a sword.

Jem brandished his own sword and assumed a fighting stance. Tessa did the same. Jem raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

"The first thing to know is how to parry," Jem said. He lunged forward towards Tessa, and she raised her sword without thinking twice to block his attack.

"Wow, not bad," Jem said, clearly impressed. "I'll try not to go as easy this time." He tried again, and Tessa blocked his attack once more. Before he could move again, Tessa sprung towards him, knocking the sword out of his hand and sending it skidding across the deck, kicking him down to the floor.

"You were saying?" Tessa simpered, aiming the sword at his face. She then bent down and helped Jem up.

"You're a natural," Jem beamed, dusting himself off.

And so they commenced, battling each other with their swords. Tessa did have a knack for it, though she had no experience prior to this. Much to her surprise, she found herself enjoying sword fighting.

"Land ho!" Henry suddenly shouted from the stern. Tessa and Jem dropped their weapons and ran over to the ship's rails. And sure enough, there was land in front of them. For the first time in over a week, Tessa was seeing land.

They had arrived at Blackfriars.

* * *

**I hope this chapter was alright. I felt it was necessary to finally explain Will's story, so I apologize for not much development in this chapter. But the next chapter should be interesting... we get to see what happens in Blackfriars ;)**

**Sorry for not updating for a while! I feel like I keep apologizing and not doing anything about it. It's just activity has kind of declined on this fic, so I wasn't as motivated to write this chapter. Plus, I had mild writer's block, but it's cured now and I have a plan for at least the next few chapters.**

**So could I get another 5 reviews for the next chapter? Just to make sure that people are still interested.**

**Thanks and remember, you guys are honestly the best!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	6. The Devil Tavern

**nicoleherondale: Yeah no problem! Thanks again for all the complements. It means a lot :) You'll find out about Blackfriars Port now!**

**SecretCookies: Awww your name doesn't suck! I think it's cute :) You'll find out what happens in Blackfriars now. And boy are you in for some surprises. Hehe. I'm glad you liked the Marbas and Yanlou. I thought I was overdoing it, making them both pirates, but it's the only thing that made sense.**

**SilverCarstairs: Ah sorry! During summer I get stressed if I don't update every other day haha. Grrr that review button. It must be cursed D: No worries about not reviewing! I totally get you. Glad you liked the chapter though! :)**

**TessaElsaHerondale: Oh, that wonderful review button haha. Yay another for the win for Will's back story! My lips are sealed about the mysterious contact... you'll find out in due time ;) I feel like my names are redundant though :/ Like I used them in my other fic, but I'm trying to keep it true to the book! Anyways, thanks again for your reviews :)**

**Dakotaderrah: Thanks for the review! Happy reading!**

**millisiana: Thank you! Glad you liked their backstories. **

**KellyHerondale: It's going to be Wessa and Jessa, but primarily Wessa. Eep sorry! But I'm not saying anything about the client ;)**

**Sapphire131: Thanks! Oh, and I started reading GoT. I'm already hooked :D**

**The-Finale-Hope: Haha I'm happy to have surprised you! I wasn't sure what reactions I would get out of it, but so far they've all been positive. Hmm, as for Tessa being sold, let's just say that you may be surprised ;)**

**The Iron Sister: Hello again my friend! Don't we all just feel for Will? The poor guy goes through so much... he just needs a nice hug now. But don't fear, because Tessa is there! As for when the Wessa is starting, it's gonna be a while. I'll try and incorporate more Sideon and Gabrily later on though. I do really love those ships. In the mean time, enjoy this chappie :)**

**Vialovesbooks: Right? Poor Will :( As for the guy, you'll find out in this chapter. And you'll definitely see more Tessa sword fighting later!**

**BookThief1713: It is going to be Wessa, but the Wessa magic will progress over the course of the story. So don't worry! Thanks for the review!**

**nononononononono: Lol typing your name out is fun haha. Thanks! You're in for a lot of surprises now. Ahhh Wessa. I still can't stop obsessing over them haha.**

**shaybearxoxo: Thank you for the review! I'm happy that you like the story/idea so far. Enjoy this chapter!**

**Personorwhatever: Aww no need to apologize! Eep no wifi. That sound horrible! Oh what our lives would be without the Internet, huh? Ooh but mountains and lakes do sound great. We do need breaks like that every once and a while. Oh hot guys *swoons*. Anyways, glad to know you liked the backstory! I was scared it was long, but it was necessary to explain. Haha you'll find out about the mysterious person soon! I'm not saying much ;) Enjoy!**

* * *

The ship promptly docked right at the port, alongside other ships. Conveniently, there was a space that perfectly fit _Ithuriel_. Tessa leaned over the rail and treasured the land she could finally bestow her eyes on.

She sighed and watched the hustle and bustle of the city before her. People were busy hauling cargo into the city, and people were out and about in the streets, moving frantically. It seemed to be flourishing with life in every corner. She had heard a lot about Blackfriars Port before; it was the biggest port city in Alicante and was often the center of trade with Idris and the other kingdoms. Unfortunately, Tessa was not originally bound for here on her voyage, so her hopes of finding Nate were quickly diminished.

It felt like ages ago since Tessa had last seen land, even though it was a little more than a week since she left Idris. She missed her life at home and above all, Nate. Oddly enough, she was beginning to find herself drawn to _Ithuriel_ and he crew, even though they were her captors.

Tessa rounded her shoulders and made her way towards the gangway. Each step she took made her feel lighter and closer to freedom. She was about to step onto the gangway when someone placed a hand firmly on her shoulder and spun her around.

Will.

"Where do you think you're going?" he said, sternly looking at her with his dark blue eyes.

"Um, I – I was going out there," Tessa stumbled meekly, gesturing towards the city.

Will gave her a crooked smile with a hint of malice. "Come here," he said, beckoning her towards the main deck of the ship. Tessa gulped and followed suit. He stopped abruptly at the center of the deck.

"Everyone, gather around!" Will bellowed. Coincidentally, everyone was already there, probably because they were just as eager as Tessa to be close to land. They all scurried around Will, Sophie and Cecily flanking Tessa and Jem right behind her. His presence seemed to automatically calm her down.

"Good, now that I have you all here," Will said, rubbing his hands together, "I would like you all to stay here. I must go alone." He stared right at Tessa.

"What?" the crew shouted.

"But we should come with you!" Cecily exclaimed. "It's been forever since we left this damn ship."

"Don't call her that," Will said darkly, giving his sister a look. "Anyway," he said, turning away from her and gazed upon the rest of the crew, "I have some important business to attend to and I prefer to do it alone. That means you too, Jem," he said, and Jem stepped backwards.

"What are we going to do then?" said Gabriel, crossing his arms defiantly across his chest.

"Do whatever you want," Will said, rolling his eyes. "Just make sure there is no damage done to the ship."

"Sounds easy enough," Cecily muttered under her breath.

Will ignored her. "Lightworm, go get me my coat!" he announced. Gabriel huffed and disappeared into the captain's quarters. Gabriel shortly emerged with Will's signature blue coat in hand and threw it right at Will.

"Thanks," said Will, sounding ungrateful. He quickly put the coat on, smoothing the wrinkles. "Now I'm off. And don't you dare follow me," he said, pointing at everyone. And with that, he marched down the gangway and disappeared into the city.

* * *

Will strolled through the city with only one destination in mind: the Devil Tavern. Will felt slightly guilty for having to leave his crew behind, but this was one mission that he had to accomplish alone. Even Jem couldn't come with him.

He could have brought Tessa, though, but he was unsure of it. He was only going to bring her if things were set in stone. The meeting was about Tessa, and Will was supposed to hand Tessa to his client. But, anything could happen and Will didn't want to risk it, so thought it best to leave her back on the ship.

Will felt a pang rattle through his chest? What was this queer feeling? He had never experienced anything like it before. Would he really miss Tessa? He had barely known the girl, but yet he felt an odd attraction towards her. The feeling was not mutual, Will was sure of it. He had treated her like shit, so she had every reason in the world to hate him. He knew she would not miss him at all.

Will reached the tavern. He looked up at it; it stood out among the other structures. Instead of pure wood and straw, like the other building, it was built entirely of dark wood and cold stones, giving it a dark appearance. Red light emanated from it, making it seem unwelcome. Nevertheless, it was still one of the most popular haunts in Blackfriars.

Will took a deep breath and pushed the heavy oak door open. The place was humming with life. Haunting music filled the air and creatures of all sorts were engaging in various activities: drinking, smoking, gambling, dancing, just all sorts. Will pushed his way through the crowd and made his way towards the bar.

"Hallo there, Jessamine," Will smirked.

A woman – no more of a girl – who was busying filling up drinks turned around to face Will, a slight scowl on her face.

"Heron," she said, narrowing her eyes. She, like all others, did not know Will's true name. "What brings you here?"

"It's nice to see you too Jessie," Will said sarcastically. "You know perfectly why I'm here."

Jessamine exhaled and placed her hands on her hips, looking at Will squarely. She looked older and more mature than before.

Jessamine had once been a member of Will's crew. How the hell she ended up on his ship, he had no idea. She was an acquaintance of Charlotte and Henry, so somehow through the grapevine, she had joined Will's crew.

And she had been nothing but hell. The girl just sulked in the corner and complained about everything and nothing. She was such a pain – she never helped out and never associated with others that everyone did not like her. After two years, Will had dismissed her when it got too out of hand. Jessamine, and the rest of the crew, happily obliged. They dropped her off at Blackfriars Port, and never saw her again.

That was until now. Will had heard that Jessamine was working here at Devil Tavern through other sources, so it wasn't a shock to see her again.

"Fine," Jessie finally said. "He's over there." She pointed to the dingy corner where a lone figure sat, sipping on pale ale.

Will said his thanks and moved to the spot where Jessamine was indicating. The figure looked at Will from his ale, his black eyes boring into Will's soul.

"Heron the Great," he smiled menacingly.

"Hello there," said Will, taking a seat across from the man, "Alexei de Quincey."

* * *

"Well, this is boring," Tessa sighed heavily, pressing herself against the rail. She watched as Will disappeared from view in Blackfriars, people clouding her vision. Land seemed so close, yet so far.

"Tell me about it," Cecily agreed. "Whenever we go to places, we get to go along with him."

"Go to places meaning loot?" Tessa asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Guilty," Cecily said, avoiding eye contact and lifting her hand.

"Why do you do it?" Tessa inquired curiously. "I mean, surely there must be another reason."

"The Heron has his reasons," Cecily shrugged. "And besides, we have to survive."

"But you are good people," Tessa pressed on. "You could find other alternatives."

"We do as the Heron pleases," Cecily said gloomily. "I know he's my brother and everything, but he knows what he wants and will go through anything to receive it." Cecily turned to face Tessa fully. Her blue eyes were as deep as her brother's. "I know he may seem like a first-class jerk, but underneath that tough exterior, he's really just a broken man who is struggling just as much as us. Please try and understand him. Just give him time."

Tessa stared at the murky water beneath them, biting her lip in concentration. Before she could say anything, Jem came up to them.

"Hello Cecily, Tessa," Jem said politely.

"Hi Jem," Cecily beamed.

"How would you two like to come with me?" Jem said quietly.

"Come with you where?" Tessa asked.

"To follow our lovely captain of course," Jem said, throwing them a crooked smile.

"But he said we have to stay here," Tessa said, aghast.

"Tessa, you have to learn that being a pirate means not following the rules," Cecily said, winking at Tessa. "I'm totally down for it. I need a little entertainment now anyways. Gabriel is being so boring over there." She indicated to the corner where Gabriel just sat by himself, not interacting with anyone.

"Excellent," Jem said, looking pleased. "And you, Tessa?"

"I dunno," Tessa said, her shoulders sinking back. "The Heron instructed us to not leave the ship."

"And the Heron will not have to know," Jem challenged. His silver eyes twinkled in the setting sun, making them look almost gold. Tessa contemplated this.

"Fine, I'll come," Tessa finally decided. "But if we get in trouble, I blame you too."

"Totally fine by me," Cecily laughed. "Trust me, I've seen my brother way worse before. Now come on, let's get going before we lose him." She went straight to the gangway and walked off the ship, Jem right on her tail.

Tessa went after them, and as she did, she felt the sword in her belt rubbing against her thigh. Tessa considered about leaving it behind, but thought better of it. She double-checked to ensure no one was watching, and then hurried behind the other two.

Tessa felt a leap of freedom as she touched land for the first time. It felt great. And much to Tessa's surprise, no one gave them weird looks in regards to their unusual clothing, especially for her and Cecily.

"There he is!" Cecily jumped up and down excitedly, pointing straight forward. Sure enough, there was Will, pushing through the crowd, his blue coat an obvious giveaway. His head was bent downwards and he made a beeline to the center of the city. He abruptly stopped before the only stone building in the structure. He rapidly glanced around his surroundings before entering the building.

Tessa craned her neck to see what the building one. The sign read "The Devil Tavern" with a picture depicting a creature with horns devouring a person whole. Tessa grimaced at it.

"Is this some sort of vice?" Tessa asked.

"Will doesn't involve himself in those sort of activities," Jem shook his head.

"Will?" Cecily said, bewildered.

"I may have told Tessa your brother's real name," Jem said, his face flushed with embarrassment.

"And I'm guessing that didn't end well," Cecily said, looking sternly at Tessa.

"No," Tessa said with a note of finality. She did not want to revisit that memory again.

"Over here," Cecily said. They had reached the Devil Tavern, and she was ushering them to a window. They perched below it and peered into the dingy tavern. They quickly spotted Will, who was seated in the corner with a figure who had pale blond hair.

"And now, we just hope that he doesn't catch us," Jem muttered to them. Tessa could only agree.

* * *

"So where is he?" Will demanded, he blue eyes cold.

"Where is who?" de Quincey said, giving an innocent look.

"You know damn well who I'm talking about," Will said annoyed.

"Be careful what you say boy, or the Magister may back down in his offer," de Quincey said, smiling evilly.

Will rolled his eyes so subtly that luckily de Quincey didn't notice. "Where is he then? I brought Tessa Gray just as he requested."

"Theresa Gray is here?" de Quincey said.

Will nodded.

"My, my," de Quincey said, shaking his head in disbelief, "this is much unexpected."

"What? Did you think I couldn't do it?" Will threatened angrily.

"So you really are great then, Heron the Great," de Quincey leaned back in his hard wooden chair, examining Will closely. "But unfortunately, there is a change of plans. That is why the Magister couldn't meet you."

"So he sent you here?" Will snorted. "Convenient."

"Something popped up," de Quincey said dismissively, "so that's why he sent me to you. At least be grateful that there is some contact boy. Unless you want your reward to be taken away…"

"No!" Will said hastily. "So what is it?"

"Since the Magister cannot meet you here, he wants you to bring Miss Gray somewhere else."

"Where?" Will asked. He was secretly happy that they could have Tessa for a little while longer.

"The Cave of Forgotten Wonders," de Quincey said.

"Cadair Idris," Will breathed. "But it's dangerous to get there." It was true. The place was notorious between anyone who sailed the seas. The journey was perilous, and very few ever made it alive to tell the tale.

"The Magister has faith in you, Heron the Great," de Quincey said, and for a change he sounded truthful. "He will be meeting you there. And if you arrive with her, he will reward you with an even greater gift, on top of the other reward he has already promised. And this will not only benefit you, but also your crew."

Will thought about it, long and hard. It was going to be difficult and dangerous, yes, but he needed the information on Marbas. And, if de Quincey meant what he said, his crew would be getting a piece of the reward, too. It was a win-win situation. Well, almost.

There was Tessa too. But Will had to do this. He had come so close, and he could be even close.

"I'll do it," Will said.

"That's a good boy," de Quincey grinned, he black eyes alight with joy. "Now go. You bore me. And you don't want to keep the Magister waiting." He pulled up his hood to shield his face and returned to sipping his ale.

Will rose from his seat and went to the back exit, wanting to avoid Jessamine at all costs. He hoped that this deal was worth it in the long run. He had made it so far now, so he could do just a little more to get what he wanted. And, it helped all. But for some reason, he felt irked by the fact that he may have gambled Tessa's life away. He didn't want to dwell on that thought too much. Besides, the time would come, and the Magister was so wishy washy that he may just change his mind. Again.

Will hadn't even realized that he was being blocked. The alleyway was dark and he could barely see in front of him, except that there was a figure looming in front of him.

"Excuse me?" Will said, annoyed. "But could you please move?"

The man didn't budge, and when Will tried to sidestep him, he pushed Will down. Will landed unceremoniously on his butt. Pain shot up through him.

"That was rude," Will said, rubbing his sore spot.

Before he could get up, another figure rounded on Will and pushed him down. This time, Will's face hit the stone ground and he could feel his lips bleeding. Will struggled to look up, and he saw that five men were circling around him. One man approached Will and lifted Will's head so they were eye to eye.

"Marbas sends his regards," said the man, and punched Will right in the face, sending Will into the dark.

* * *

**Ruh oh. That doesn't look so good for Will D:**

**So I've decided to reread the entire Harry Potter series as a summer project. I'm super stoked! But hopefully, it won't eat up a lot of time because I really really want to write this fic too. Gah. I guess that's what summer is for.**

**Anyways, thanks for the reviews you guys! I can't stop saying this, but you guys are the best ever! I hope (most) of your questions were answered in this chapter. Of course, there are still more explanations to come...**

**So review! Favorite! Follow! If you do, then you'll get to find out Will's fate D:**

**Until next time!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	7. Apologies

**Vialovesbooks: Haha you'll find out in this chapter what actually happens! Oh, it's just a personal summer project, not for school. But if it was... well, let's just say my life would be made :D**

**millisiana: Yay more surprises! Not much in this chapter, though :/ Enjoy this one though!**

**CookiesHerondale: Ahhhh I love your name! Cookies and Herondales... two of the best things :D Yeah, Marbas is an ass as you'll see even later on in the story. I don't want to spoil too much. **

**The-Finale-Hope: Yes, Will is finally having a change of heart. Glad that you were surprised by the plot twist! You'll find out what happens to him now!**

**TessaElsaHerondale: Awww thanks girl! Creepy? Yeah, I guess with de Quincey and all... ahh that guy just gives me the shivers. I hope you like thisthis chapter!**

**WittyLady: Just did!**

**SilverCarstairs: Haha this is not short at all! Awww sorry about your keyboard :( Hope you get it fixed! Glad you liked this chapter, though. I'll try and bring Jessamine back later, but I still have to figure out how to incorporate her. Hmmm, but maybe you're right about you're other predictions ;) Yes! I am enjoying HP! I'm on Prisoner of Azkaban now, one of my favorites. That sounds like a great spring project though :)**

**wessa101: Thank you! You'll find out what happens to Will soon!**

**nicoleherondale: Oh yeah, I totally just realized that this is similar to my other story! Totally didn't notice that before. Oops. Anyways, wow! You're memorizing that line! Haha. I'm glad to see you're committed :D**

**Books'N'Life: Aww thank you so much! That means a lot! Your review actually just inspired me for a possible jealous Will later on ;)**

**Personorwhatever: Oops! I'm guilty hehe. It's never to late to read HP! I have a bunch of friends who haven't read it or are just starting on it. Oooh hot guy huh? That sounds cool! Did you see him again? Anyways, enjoy this chapter :)**

**Matilovesbooks: Thank you! And no offense taken at all! I'm glad you're enjoying it! And you will definitely see some Wessa later on, just not quite yet. Cecily's story will come later on. She'll have her time and place to explain it. I'll also add Jem's later too... I kinda skimmed over it, but I want to put more detail into it.**

* * *

"Where do you think he went?" Tessa asked Cecily and Jem.

"No idea," Jem shrugged. "But I intend to find out." Jem stood up and stalked into the Devil Tavern.

"We best follow him," Cecily said hurriedly, rushing in after Jem, Tessa right behind her.

There was a sweet, intoxicating smell that hit Tessa the minute she entered the Devil Tavern. The place was bursting with energy in every corner, but Tessa couldn't soak it all in because Jem was soon disappearing from view.

"Jem! Cecily!" a voice, distinctly female, called out. The three of them spun around on their heels. An unfamiliar blonde girl was waving at them.

"Hello Jessamine," Jem said, ever so politely. "I would love to stay and chat, but if I am not mistaken, did the Heron go out that door?"

"Yeah, he did," Jessamine said, disappointment clouding her face.

"Alright, thank you Jessie," Jem said, and headed towards the back entrance without another glance at the girl, Jessamine.

"You know her?" Tessa whispered loudly to Cecily as they closely followed Jem.

Cecily rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately. She used to be a member of the ship before Will kicked her out. The little stinker. It's so much better without her."

"Why?" Tessa said, wanting to know more.

"Remind me to tell you later," Cecily said distractedly rushing after Jem.

They burst out through the doors and Tessa did a double take after seeing what was unfurling before her eyes.

There were five, burly men gathered around in a circle, arms at the ready. They were busy kicking something. No someone. Someone who was sprawled eagle in front of them, bleeding heavily.

Will.

Jem raced towards the men in blind rage, drawing out his sword. Tessa unsheathed hers too; she nearly forgot that it was still swinging from her belt from sword practice earlier that day. She glanced to her side to see Cecily armed at the ready.

They ran after Jem, who had snuck up on the attackers. He raised his sword and struck at one of the men. Alarmed, the others also drew out their swords and turned to face Tessa and Cecily.

"Do you think you can handle them?" Cecily murmured to Tessa.

"I –," Tessa began.

"Good, I know you can do it," Cecily interrupted, then dodged one of the attackers and ran to her brother.

One by one the men advanced at Tessa. Tessa gulped extended her sword, narrowing her eyes in concentration. They attacked instantly from all sides; apparently being a woman meant nothing to these men. Tessa swung her sword and parried any incoming swings. The men looked surprised, but they did not back down. Tessa could sense their moves all around her.

Within no time, two of the men were lying still on the ground. Tessa was impressed that she had rendered them unconscious. The other three were all circling around Tessa like a bunch of vultures. Tessa swung her sword madly, but these men were stronger. One of them kicked her sword out of her hand and forced her down to the ground. Tessa struggled to rise, but another man stamped down on her ribs, preventing her from getting up.

"You're a pretty one," he snarled. "Too bad you're about to die." He lifted his sword, ready to strike, when someone blocked him.

Jem.

Jem fought him off, bringing him down to the ground. He rounded on the other two, his stance defensive.

"Help Cecily over there. And run to the ship and tell Henry to prepare for departure," Jem yelled at Tessa over his shoulder, before running towards the men.

Tessa knew that was an order. She stood up, her ribs aching, but luckily not broken. Rubbing her ribs, she broke out into a sprint towards Cecily, who was still huddled over her brother.

"Tessa," Cecily said, exasperated, "help him up with me."

Cecily grabbed one of Will's arms and draped it over her shoulder, while Tessa did the same to Will's other side. It did not help that Will was taller than them. At least there were two of them propping him up, not just one.

"He's somewhat awake, but still out of it," Cecily said to Tessa as they made their way down the road towards _Ithuriel_. The men hadn't realized that Will was gone; they were too engaged in combat against Jem.

"Cecy," Will breathed weakly, "what's going on?"

"Shhhh," Cecily whispered gently. "Save your strength for later."

"They came out of nowhere," Will said feebly. "Oh Cecy, I'm so sorry." Tessa was shocked to hear him so vulnerable. But then again, it could be because he was injured.

"Don't apologize William," Cecily said, speaking his full name. "We need to get you to the ship."

They were close. Tessa's shoulders were beginning to give in from Will's weight. They reached the gangway and struggled their way upwards to the main deck of the ship. They reached, and gently laid Will on the deck, gasping for breath. Sophie and Gideon were still there and rushed over to them.

"What happened?!" Gideon exclaimed.

"No time to explain," Cecily said hurriedly. "Go tell Henry that we need to leave port _now_."

"What about Jem?" Sophie asked worriedly.

"He'll be coming," Cecily said impatiently, "but we need to leave now."

Without further adieu, Sophie scurried away to go find Henry.

"Gideon, come with me," Cecily said, turning towards the other man. "We need to find Charlotte so we can patch Will immediately."

"What can I do?" Tessa said, not wanting to feel worthless.

"You can just wait here with Will while we go get Charlotte," Cecily said, and then whirled around to go find the other lady with Gideon.

Tessa glanced down at Will, who was sitting up against the rail, his eyes half closed. She stood next to him and looked out at Blackfriars. She saw Jem racing to the ship, one of the men right behind him. He reached the gangway and ran straight up it to the main deck.

"Help me," Jem said, gesturing to the gangway. Tessa knew what he meant. Together, they detached the gangway. At that very moment, the other man could not get onto the ship.

And, conveniently, the ship lurched backwards.

They were leaving Blackfriars.

* * *

It had been a day since they had left Blackfriars. At this point, the crew all knew about what had transpired at the port city. There was only one thing that nobody knew: what to do next. They were all aware that Will had gone there for an important meeting, but no one knew what actually happened.

That was because Will was still asleep. Shortly before Charlotte had arrived, Will had passed out. Jem, Tessa, and Cecily helped Charlotte transport Will below deck to the infirmary.

Since then, Jem and Cecily had not left Will while Charlotte nursed Will. So far, he had not woken up. Various crewmembers wanted to check in to ensure that Will was recovering well, but Charlotte forbid it. The infirmary was small; only three people could fit inside it, besides the person who was being attended to. So it made sense that Cecily and Jem were there, besides Charlotte.

According to Charlotte, Will had suffered a pair of broken ribs, and some cuts and lashes on his arms and chest. Of course, Jem, Cecily, and Tessa were reprimanded by Charlotte, but that was soon overlooked. It was fortunate that the three of them had arrived there. Otherwise, the situation would have been a lot worse and Will could have been killed.

Tessa had spent the day nervously wondering about the ship, not really doing much. She was anticipating the news of Will's progress. She tried to keep her mind off of it, but nothing really helped.

Eventually, Tessa made her way down to her room and just laid down on her bed, staring at the wooden panels above her. She was almost drifting into a nap when a knock came at her door. Tessa sat upright.

"Come in," she announced. The door flew open and Charlotte stood at the threshold.

"Charlotte," said Tessa. "Any news of him?"

"He has awoken. And he is now talking," Charlotte said, sounding somewhat relieved. "And he wants to see you."

* * *

"What the hell were you all thinking?" Will yelled.

"Keep your voice down Will," Jem said. "It's going to drain the energy out of you."

"Don't tell me what to do," Will said darkly.

Tessa was in the infirmary now, alongside Jem and Cecily. The infirmary was a small room down the hall from Tessa's quarters. Charlotte wasn't lying when she said it could barely fit four people; they were all cramped inside there.

Will had woken up just an hour ago. He pleasantly surprised Charlotte by shouting at her and demanding to see Jem and Cecily. And Tessa.

So here they all were, gathered around Will's bed. Will was propped up against the headboard. He was not wearing a shirt, and there bandages all across his chest. On top of that, he was staring daggers at all of them.

"Will, do not talk to us in that manner," Jem said sternly. Will closed his eyes, taking deep breath. Tessa saw his chest rise and fall, his muscles moving along with it. Tessa couldn't tear her eyes away from his body: it was like a work of art, beautifully carved and well built from years of training, despite the bandages.

"Why did you all decide to come after me?" Will asked, still not opening his eyes.

"We wanted to know where you were going," Cecily said bluntly, glaring down at her brother.

Will's eyes flew open and settled on Cecily, vividly blue. "Cecy, you know I wouldn't want you to get hurt." There was almost a defensive edge to his voice.

"And neither would I for you," Cecily countered.

"It's still dangerous," Will said softly.

"Being a pirate is dangerous,' Jem said. "It is a pirate's life after all. We're all in on all the surprises. It's not only you, Will."

"Thank you," Will said suddenly.

"What was that?" Jem said, arching a silvery eyebrow.

"I said thank you," Will reiterated. "To all of you. If you didn't follow me, then I'd probably be dead."

"That's true," Jem shrugged. "So you promise not to leave you alone next time you have an important mission?"

"Fine," Will huffed. "You got me."

Cecily laughed. Will smiled in return. Tessa realized that she had never seen him genuinely smile. It made his face look more youthful and welcoming, other than the scowl he usually wore. He was handsome, Tessa decided.

"Now go," Will said. "I want to rest." He closed his eyes, signaling them to leave. Cecily exited first, followed by Jem, and finally Tessa.

"You stay," said Will, still not opening his eyes.

"Me?" Tessa asked in alarm.

"Yes you," Will said impatiently. "And shut the door." Tessa did as she was told and sauntered over to the side of Will's bed.

"You've been awfully quiet, haven't you?" Will said, still refusing to open his eyes.

"I don't have much to say, sir," Tessa said.

"Don't call me that," Will said, his eyes finally open, glaring right at her.

"Then what do I call you? I hate the name Lord Heron, I can't address you by sir, and you forbid me to call you Will!" Tessa nearly shouted.

"Will," Will said so quietly that Tessa had to strain to hear.

"What was that?" Tessa said, surprised.

"Call me Will," he said, a small smile playing upon his full lips.

"But I thought – ," Tessa started.

"Forget what I said before," Will said dismissively, waving a hand. "It was wrong of me. I treated you badly, as if you were my prisoner, when you are really my guest."

"It was," Tessa said bluntly.

"What?" Will said, taken aback.

"You treated my horribly even though I was a lady. A princess."

"And what has that got to do with all this?" Will said. "If I recall, I saw you fight off those men with quite impressive swordsmanship. That does not seem very princess-like to me."

"A princess can do what she wants," Tessa said, lifting her chin up. "We are not all the same. And just because I'm a lady doesn't mean I can't fight."

"No, no it doesn't," Will agreed, shaking his head, his black curls bouncing around. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry."

Tessa stared at him. Never had she ever seen him like this. Something must have changed, but Tessa couldn't quite place a finger on it.

Instead of replying, she nodded and said, "I best get going now. I should leave you be so you can heal."

She made her way towards the door. As she reached for the doorknob, she heard Will clear his throat.

"Tessa?" he called out.

Tessa paused, then turned around. He was watching her intently. "Yes?"

"Thank you," he said, giving her a pleasant smile.

"For what?" she asked, confused.

"Everything."

* * *

**Eh, not the best chapter. The action wasn't as much as I thought it would be, but I suck at writing action scenes bleh.**

**Thanks again for the support! I feel like I keep saying this, but honestly you guys are the best :D**

**And now, I have a splitting headache grrrrr. I'm off to bed. But, can I get 10 reviews for the next chapter? I hope I'm not asking too much D:**

**Until next time!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	8. The Plan

**CookiesHerondale: Awww! Yay to the Wessa! Thanks again :)**

**nicoleherondale: Hi friend! Aww no I'm excited to read your next chapter. I love your story! Ahhh I see. That means a lot to me! Enjoy this chapter! And the Wessa :D**

**TessaElsaHerondale: Awww thank you! For both accounts. I'm feeling better now :) Do you really think that? I usually struggle with Will's character, since it's so hard to capture. He just keeps changing, you know? Hmm, I know of Ranger's Apprentice, but I've never read them :/ Thanks for your compliments! They mean a lot. And no, you're not beeing annoying! I appreciate everything you have to say :)**

**The Iron Sister: Don't worry about it at all! I just appreciate the fact that you're reading this fic. Glad you liked this chapter! I figured it was high time that Will starts behaving like the Will we all know and love. On a side note, I saw your A/N for Dare to Wish. I'm so sad that you're stopping it :( I hope you write another fic like it! I really loved the whole Will/servant story. You're such a good writer yourself, so I'll read anything you write!**

**The-Finale-Hope: Yes one step towards Wessa! Thanks, that's exactly what I did and I felt much better :)**

**Vialovesbooks: Thank you! Glad you liked the chapter. And my headache is gone now. I think I was just straining my eyes too much, that's it. **

**Guest: Thanks for the review! Let the Wessa magic begin :D**

**PurpleTea88: Hi! Yes for Wessa! Hmmm, who says he's gonna turn her over? ;) Stay tuned for more!**

**Silverandblack: Awww thanks! I certainly did eat a cookie because it was much too tempting :D Glad that the pace is good... I was scared I was rushing it, but that's good to know.**

**Personorwhatever: Sad day :( You should read the HP series! They're like my favorites, besides TID/TMI. Ahhhh I love the Legend series! Those definitely top my list for best dystopian series. I've read the first book of Maze Runner and Max Ride, but I wasn't a huge fan. 100% recommend Legend though!**

**Wessaalltheway: Yeah, I hate making lead girls the damsel in distress. Badasses all the way! There is def more Wessa in this one though. Haha HP, TMI, and TID are like my favorite book series! I've read them all countless times too haha.**

**Matilovesbooks: Awww I'm happy that you liked it! I wasn't sure, but glad to know it all worked up. Ugh aren't headaches the worst? Especially when they don't go away grr. But it's gone now. Awww CP2 is like the most bittersweet ending ever :( I still loved the book... it's definitely my favorite Cassie Clare novel. Yes I'm so stoked for TDA! Julian and Emma too! Anyway, thanks for the review and enjoy!**

* * *

It had been a couple days since they had left from Blackfriars Port, and Will still wasn't ready to leave the infirmary. Tessa hadn't visited him since the other day. Gradually, other members of the crew made their way to see Will; his people really did care for him. It was mainly Cecily and Jem who kept him company, understandably.

Charlotte had been updating the crew periodically about Will's status. He was doing loads better from before; his cuts were nearly healed and his ribs were almost as good as new. Unfortunately, during the healing process, Will succumbed to a fever, making him stay for a longer time in the infirmary. Charlotte said it could be days before his fever would break.

So, for now, _Ithuriel _was just sailing the sea. No one had any idea where they were headed, as Will hadn't said a word. He spent most of his time sleeping to allow his body to recover.

Tessa found that after a short time, there wasn't a lot to do to pass time. She spent most of her time wondering about the ship, conversing with the crewmembers, and practicing her sword fighting. Much to her dismay, the library that Jem had pointed out earlier was locked. Apparently it was Will's private collection, so only he had access to it.

They had just finished supper, and Tessa was practicing with Sophie and Jem, taking turns with the two. Sophie, much to her surprise, was also really good at it. Also, Jem told Tessa in secret that Tessa was better. Tessa denied it.

Amidst their practice, Charlotte came up to them.

"Charlotte," Jem smiled, "what brings you here? Is it Will."

Charlotte nodded. "He is awake. And he has fully recovered."

* * *

Will was finally ready to leave the damn infirmary. Five days was way too long. Will felt utterly useless, having nothing to do but sit in bed and recover.

The first order of business: to schedule a meeting with the crew. Minus Tessa.

Will hated to leave Tessa out of this, but he had to, in order to protect her. And it was time that Will stopped being so elusive and hiding everything from his men. They were nearly family, even more than that, and they deserved better than how Will treated them.

He strategically planned the meeting to occur while Tessa was sleeping. She often went to bed early, a lot earlier than the rest of the crew… sea life seemed to exhaust the princess somehow. Will instructed Jem to gather up the crew and have them meet him in the mess hall, which was large enough to fit the lot of them, once Tessa was surely fast asleep. It felt weird having to confront the crew; Will hadn't seen them in big group setting since docking at Blackfriars.

Will stood up from his desk. He was back in his captain's quarters. Grabbing his signature blue coat, he made his way down to the mess hall. His ribs still ached, but it was better than being broken. And at least his cuts had pretty much disappeared.

As he neared the mess hall, he could hear light chatter filling the hall. Luckily, Tessa's room was far away, so she couldn't hear. Or so Will hoped. He pushed open the heavy wooden doors to see everyone seated at the long table that occupied the majority of the space in the hall. The head of the table was empty, presumably for him.

All talking abruptly ceased and Will could feel everyone's gaze on him. He took a deep breath, then shut the door tightly behind him, making his way towards the head. He sat down, and saw that Jem was on one side of him and Cecily on the other. Cecily gave him a light smile when he looked down at her, relaxing Will just a bit.

"Hello everyone," Will said awkwardly. Nobody said a word back. This time he glanced at Jem, who nodded encouragingly.

So Will continued. "Anyway, I have gathered you all here to discuss some things of great importance."

"Yes, we can see that," Gabriel snorted from down the table.

"Hold your tongue, Lightworm," Will said venomously, shooting daggers down at the other boy.

"Go on," Cecily said, kindly. Will smiled at her, reassuringly.

Will took another deep breath. "I'm going to be first and foremost with you all, but I want you all to start calling me by my real name." Everyone gasped. No one, besides Jem and Cecily, and now Tessa, knew Will's real name. They had been calling him Heron for the past four years. But Will found it high time; he needed to stop acting all high and mighty here. They were a crew, a family, and family did not treat each other this way.

"Will," he finally said.

"Will?" Gabriel echoed. "What kind of name is that?"

"I think it's rather fitting," Charlotte said sweetly. "Will."

Will, feeling uncomfortable, decided to go on with the meeting. "Names aside, I have you all here for one thing: Tessa."

"That's why you didn't want her here," Sophie chimed in. The girl rarely spoke, and Will felt sort of bad for her. He had treated her harshly even though he had no reason to.

Will nodded at Sophie. "But first things first, I wanted to apologize. For the way I've been acting, for all these years. My behavior was absolutely inappropriate, and I have treated you all with disrespect and brutality, when I should have with honor. You have become more than a family to me, and its time I started shaping up and giving you all the treatment you deserve. So I guess I'm saying that I'm sorry."

Silence.

"Wow," Gabriel finally spoke up. "This has got to be one of the nicest things you've ever said, Will?" He raised an eyebrow, expectantly. Will knew what he meant.

"Herondale," Will said. "William Herondale. But just call me Will."

"Isn't that one of the families over in Idris?" Gideon said.

"Yes, but another time," Will said hurriedly.

"What happened to being open?" Gabriel said crossly.

"I said another time," Will said irritably. "We have more important things to discuss now."

"Tessa?" Sophie inquired.

"Yes, Tessa." Will closed his eyes for a brief second, then opened them. "As you all know, we have been out on a mission, and as you have probably guessed, it involves Tessa." Out of his periphery, he saw everyone nod. "And so, I think it's best that you all know what this mission pertains to."

And so, Will told them. About the deal with the Magister and what transpired at Blackfriars, being sure to include the detail involving how the crew would benefit from bringing Tessa. They were all silent as Will talked, intently listening to everything Will had to say.

"So you're saying that if we bring Tessa to Cadair Idris, then we will get some special reward?" Gideon asked. Will nodded. He didn't tell them about Marbas; they didn't need to know about that quite yet.

"And Tessa doesn't know of this?" Sophie said.

"No, I think it's best that she doesn't know what is going on," Will said, with a twinge of regret.

"But what if he does something awful to her?" Sophie said worriedly. "I just can't let that happen."

"And we won't," Will shook his head. "Besides, he promised me that no harm will be done to Tessa."

"You're positive that we all benefit from this, Herondale?" Gabriel sneered.

"Yes, Lightworm," Will rolled his eyes. "Must I repeat myself again?"

"Will, have you heard about Cadair Idris?" Henry said, speaking up for the first time."

"Yes," Will said, his voice quivering slightly.

"What is that?" Sophie said.

"The Cave of Forgotten Wonders," Gideon breathed out. "Few those ever venture there ever return to tell the tale. And those who do are usually too afraid to speak of what happened." He turned to Will. "Are you sure this is right thing to do?"

"We've come this far," Will shrugged. "Why not go even further?"

"It's dangerous Will," Henry warned. "Even for you."

"I know," Will said softly. "But we've got to follow through with this plan. Just please, understand me." He buried his head in his hands.

"We do," Cecily said, stroking his arm with a sisterly affection. Will looked up at the rest of the crew and saw some sort of understanding pass amongst them all.

"We will do as you wish, Will," Henry said. "It will be difficult, but we have faith in you."

"Thank you," Will said, gazing gratefully at his crew. "So do you know how to go there?" He added, directing his question at Henry.

"I have some general sense, but I need more information," Henry said. "I think it's best if we go to Tortuga. We could get some crucial bits there."

"Tortuga, you say," Will pondered. Tortuga was an island in the middle of the sea. It was tiny, but was known as a rough spot. It was generally the place that pirates convened in, except Marbas of course. Will had been there plenty of times before at the start of his journey as a pirate, but it had been a couple years since his last visit. "When do you think we'll be there?"

"A day, maximum," Henry replied.

"Excellent," Will grinned. "You are all dismissed now."

* * *

Nathaniel Gray was ready to clamber out of the boat and onto the stretch of land. It was the first time that he had seen land in over a week, since those wretched pirates had attacked his ship. He didn't get a good chance to see who these pirates were, but whoever they were, they owed him a new ship.

He knew immediately that his ship was sinking. Quickly and in an ordered fashion, he ordered his men onto the lifeboats that the ship equipped. There was also some food rations, since who knew how long they were going to be on the boats.

Magnus Bane had accompanied Nate on his boat. He had been a constant source of entertainment, but after a week, Nate grew tired of his company. He just wanted to find his sister now, worried about what the pirates were doing to her. They were bad men, nevertheless, and were probably treating her horribly in every cruel way.

"Land!" Nate whimpered excitedly, stumbling out of the cramped boat and onto the white, sandy beaches. He was so full of glee that he could kiss the sand. Almost.

"Slow down there," Magnus said, gracefully leaping out of the boat and strolling towards Nate. "We should probably figure out what to do from here."

"Ugh," Nate rolled his eyes in annoyance. "But we just got here."

"And we need to do what's best and find you're sister," Magnus snapped.

"I know," Nate argued. "But can we first find a place to eat then discuss this? I'm starving."

"Fine," Magnus said, exasperated. "You are the boss anyway." He spun around to see the other lifeboats making their way to shore. "Come on boys, we best get going."

Nate walked away from them, as Magnus gathered the other men. He made his way up the sand, and without realizing it, almost collided head on with another figure. A man in a black cloak.

"Nathaniel Gray," said the man.

"Um, excuse me? Do I know you?" Nate said in confusion.

"You well as well may know me," coaxed the man. "Now come along. We have some things to talk about."

And so, Nathaniel followed.

* * *

"Try it again," Jem instructed.

Tessa picked up her sword and resumed her stance. It was after supper again, and it had been a day since she had received the news that Will was awake and well. She still hadn't seen him, so she thought it best she continue her practice with swords. Although, all others aboard the ship had some sort of interaction with him, except for Tessa.

Jem lunged towards her, and Tessa swung to the side to avoid his blow. He struck to the other side, which she parried with a blink of an eye. Jem pressed down forcefully on her sword; he was no longer going easier on her. Tessa rebounded and pressed up, so hard that the sword went flying out of Jem's hand and skidded across the deck.

There was a round of applause that broke out behind Tessa. She spun around on her heels to find that she had an audience.

Will.

"Not bad," he mused, and sauntered over to the two of them. "Although there's still room for improvement."

"She's doing very well, William," Jem said sternly. "Besides, if it wasn't for her, you would probably be worse off."

"True, true," Will snickered. "Though, I think I'll take it from here. You're dismissed, James."

"Very well," Jem said stiffly, and shuffled away to below the deck.

"What are you doing?" Tessa said, eyeing Will suspiciously, as he circled around her.

"Teaching you how to fight," Will said nonchalantly.

"I know how to fight!" grumbled Tessa. "And besides, everyone's been saying I'm a natural."

"Please," Will taunted, "you've only just started. There's so much to learn."

"Then show me, if you think you're such an expert," Tessa challenged.

"Show me your sword," Will demanded.

Tessa held it out, and he took it, examining it. "Good," he finally said, "but it seems blunt."

"It's not mine," Tessa defended herself.

"Does it have a name?" Will said, gazing at her with those dark blue eyes. Damn those gorgeous eyes.

"No," Tessa asserted in annoyance.

"Well, every sword must have a name, my dear," Will remarked.

"Then what's yours?" Tessa countered.

Will drew his sword out of his belt and showed it to her. It was longer than Tessa's and sharper, with an elegant hilt of intricate designs of birds. "Raziel, of the angels," Will said, his eyes never leaving Tessa's. "Now it's your time."

Tessa thought for a moment, then, "Needle."

"Needle?" Will raised his eyes, looking at her curiously. "That's an interesting name."

"I like it," Tessa stated.

"Me too," Will said.

"You do?" Tessa said, wrinkling her eyebrows in confusion. Definitely not the reaction she was expecting out of Will Herondale.

"Yes, I do," Will said, and he sounded truthful. "It makes it seem weak at a first glance, but it is stronger than it appears. Sharp, and straight to the point, just like a sword is supposed to be like. I think it's fitting." He smiled at her.

"Hmmm," Tessa murmured to herself.

"Show me your stance," Will instructed.

Tessa did as she was told, placing her feet in front of each other and bending her knees. She placed her free hand at her hip, and the other that bore Needle pointing forward.

Will circled around her, examining her stance. "Good, but can be better."

He stopped behind her, putting his hand on her shoulder, forcing it down. "You can relax here, release the tension that you're building up." He glanced at her knees and tapped it with his own sword. "You don't have to bend that much. It takes more energy out of you, especially in short range combat."

He came around so they were face to face. "Also, relax your grip on your hilt. Too much strain can hurt your wrist and make it harder to fight." He put his hand on top of hers and shook it about to loosen her grip. "Like this, see?" He stared right at her. Immediately, Tessa's stance felt better.

"Yes," she looked right up at him, gray eyes meeting blue ones. He appeared like he wanted to say more.

"Tessa, I –," Will started.

"Yes?" Tessa urged.

"Never mind, that's good for now," Will shook his head. "I'll see you later." And he abruptly left, leaving a flustered Tessa behind.

* * *

**Hiya everyone! Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter! And for those of you who were wondering, yes my headache is loads better :) I think it was just too much reading and screen time. Thanks for your concern!**

**Hehe, I just had to name Tessa's sword Needle. She reminds me of Arya in GoT, so it seemed fitting.**

**Next chapter: Tortuga! Yes, kinda like the one in Pirates of the Caribbean. So stay tuned for that!**

**Could I get to 100 reviews by the next chapter? That would be much appreciated :D**

**Until soon!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	9. Tortuga

**TessaElsaHerondale: Thank you again! There will be more Gabriel-Will humor in this one too! Oh Will's name *swoon*. If only there was a real Will Herondale in real life. My life would be complete. Okay I'll read them! When I'm done with HP and the other books on my shelf haha. I'm ready Game of Thrones now, so that's gonna take awhile D: You'll find out about the mysterious man. It'll all come together :)**

**Guest: Thanks! I'm not sure about A Year Abroad... I was brainstorming it the other day, but I have major writer's block for that one. So eventually, just not now. My TDA fic should be updated soon though! I'm working on rewriting it.**

**The Iron Sister: Awww thanks girl! Yes, I finally decided to show the real Will Herondale now, so you'll be getting more of that. Ahhh the first kiss... you'll just have to wait for that haha. Glad it was your favorite! I didn't expect it to be haha.**

**Vialovesbooks: Yes he finally is! Glad the love/hate relationship is working. You'll find out more about his personal library :)**

**millisiana: Don't worry about it! I'm just happy that you're reading this story. Ugh I hate reviewing on my phone too... it can be so annoying at times. Glad you liked the name Needle! It really stuck with me from GoT, so I decided to add it to this story. Yay for being the 99th reviewer!**

**Wessaalltheway: Yay! You're the 100th reviewer! Glad you liked the chapter. Awww I wish I could go into writing, but parents are holding me back :/ I am working on my own novel though, so I'll see where that takes me. Thanks for the review though!**

**nicoleherondale: Yes, you will find out more with Nate. Haha you know me too well though ;) And no, you're not looking too much into this! Let the Wessa begin now haha. Awww thank you for reading this fic!**

**Personorwhatever: Lol that's funny. Although, Tortuga is like torture haha. Awww no :( Finish your homework so you can read it! It's amazing.**

**Books'N'Life: Thanks for the review! For the purpose of this story, Nate is the brother. There is no Aunt Harriet in this story, so to make things easier, I just made him the brother.**

**The-Finale-Hope: Yeah, I couldn't leave Nate hanging. I dunno when you'll see him again. No worries! We're all tired haha. Thanks :)**

**Silverandblack: Om nom nom. Awww thanks friend! The cookies were delicious :D**

**Matilovesbooks: Hehe there's a reason I left it hanging ;) I hope you'll be able to read this chapter though! Have fun camping though! Oh, I just thought it would be funny to call him Lightworm in this. Clearly, Will dislikes Gabriel, and the feeling is mutual, so he just calls him that to poke fun at him. But no worries! Thanks for the review :)**

* * *

Tessa had awoken the next morning with new news regarding the quick trip to Tortuga. She had certainly heard about Tortuga. The place was notorious for being the center of all misfits and pirates alike. Tessa never thought that she would actually go there.

But here she was, on a ship heading right to Tortuga. Before, it would have been one of her worst nightmares. But now, she was not as scared as she should have been. Something had definitely changed…

Tessa had also been updated about their final destination: Cadair Idris. She had known plenty about Cadair Idris, but not actually exact details. Few have lived to ever recount what happens there. Tessa had no idea what they had in store there, but she was bound to find out soon.

"Look, there it is," breathed Cecily, who was standing beside Tessa. They were situated at the deck of the forecastle, looking straight in front of them. "Isn't it beautiful?" Cecily added.

"It sure is, Cecy," said a voice. They spun around to see Will standing, also admiring the view.

"What are you doing here, William?" Cecily said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, I am captain of this ship," Will explained to no one in particular. "So that means I can do as I like. I want to see the island, this is clearly the best spot to observe it, and so here I am."

"Fine, do as you like Will," Cecily said, turning away from her brother and leaning against the rail.

"So what do you think of the island, Miss Gray?" Will asked, looking at her curiously.

Tessa shrugged. "I can't say much until I actually explore it, sir."

"We've already gone over this," Will said, exasperated. "Please, call me Will."

"Than you shall call me Tessa," she said firmly.

"Very well, Tessa," Will said delicately, still looking at her in that curious fashion. He broke away from their gaze and stood on the other side of Tessa. Cecily seemed to be studiously ignoring them.

"Cecy, darling," Will coaxed without looking at his sister, "will you do me a favor, and gather the crew up for me?"

"Very well," Cecily said abruptly. "I have nothing better to do." She left without another word, leaving Will and Tessa alone at the deck.

"So," Tessa said, breaking the awkward silence, "what exactly are we doing in Tortuga?"

"Henry is insistent on finding a better way of getting Cadair Idris," Will said, firmly pressing his mouth together in a disapproving manner. "With best of luck, we should be able to find safe passage."

"Why are we going to Cadair Idris?" Tessa said without double thinking it through.

She half expected Will to blow up. But that was the old Will, the Heron the Great she had first met. Things had definitely changed since then.

But instead, he ignored her.

"Did you know that Tortuga is shaped like a turtle?" Will mused.

"Is it really?" Tessa said, half interested in the subject. She really wanted to know by Cadair Idris, but judging by Will's behavior, he wasn't going to tell her. Or not quite yet.

Will nodded. "The head is where all the activity takes place. As for the shell and the feet, it's just dense forest. No one ever ventures in there."

"Let me guess. Cannibals and flesh-eating monsters lurk in deep, dark corners there?" Tessa said sarcastically.

Will laughed. "If only. Then, our tale would be loads more interesting."

The bell sounded, signaling the near arrival on the island. At the same time, Will and Tessa turned around to see the crew making their way towards the main deck.

"We best be going now," Will muttered into Tessa's ear, then set off to join the crew. Tessa followed right behind him.

Nearly everyone was there, and Tessa found a spot between Jem and Sophie to stand between. Jem gave Tessa a small smile, before turning his attention towards Will. Gabriel came straggling from below the deck, and stood next to Cecily, who was behind Tessa.

"Now that everyone is here," Will started, giving Gabriel a pointed look, "we need to discuss our plan of action while we're in Tortuga."

"Let me guess," Gabriel said lazily, "we're going to have to stay put like last time."

"I would prefer if you would hold your tongue, Lightworm. Especially for someone who arrived late," Will snapped.

Gabriel opened his mouth to say something in retort, but Cecily elbowed him hard in the side.

"Anyway," Will began, turning away from Gabriel to face the rest of the crew, "you all are free to explore the city. But do be careful if you chose to."

"We are?" Cecily said, clearly surprised.

"Yes," Will nodded. "Although, I want a couple of tasks delegated to some of you."

"So much for freedom," Gabriel whispered to Cecily, though Will didn't seem to hear him.

"First off, Henry, Jem, you both will be coming with me," Will instructed. "We need to find the remaining bits of information in order to make it safely to Cadair Idris."

"Sounds easy enough for me," Henry said, grinning goofily.

"Gideon, could you and your brother gather supplies?" Will said, with a little menace.

"Sure," Gideon shrugged, while Gabriel didn't look particularly happy. It wasn't like he had any other options, though.

"And Charlotte, is it alright if you stay behind and guard the ship? Make sure that no damage comes to her," Will added.

"Of course," Charlotte smiled.

"The rest of you are free to do as you like. Just make sure that we meet back here within the next hour… we don't want to spend too much time in Tortuga." And with that, Will spun around and made his way down the gangway, Jem and Henry right behind him.

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Tessa said skeptically. She didn't want to fully admit it, but she was terrified of setting foot on Tortuga. She had many stories of the place, none of them good, and didn't want to endanger her life. Not that being on a ship full of pirates helped.

"Positive," Cecily beamed. "Besides, you've got me here!"

"And ever more the reason to worry," Tessa mumbled to herself.

"Hey, I can hear that!" Cecily exclaimed. "Plus, Sophie hasn't left the ship yet. Isn't that right Sophie?"

It hadn't even dawned on Tessa. Sophie hadn't been on land in the longest time, even longer than Tessa. At least Tessa got a break when they were at Blackfriars Port, but Sophie didn't even have that opportunity.

"It's true," Sophie shrugged. "But if Miss Tessa isn't comfortable, then we can stay."

Cecily looked disappointed at this. She huffed in irritation.

"Sophie, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" Tessa said sternly. "And I've changed my mind. I'll go."

"You will!" Cecily automatically perked up before Sophie could reply. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah I'm sure. I do – ," Tessa started, but she couldn't even finish.

"Great! Let's get going!" Cecily shrieked in excitement. She grabbed both Tessa and Sophie's arms and marched them down the gangway.

"Where are you taking us?" Sophie said nervously.

"No idea!" Cecily said cheerily. "Just go with the flow you two. You have to be spontaneous."

Tessa found there was no point in arguing with the Herondale sister, so just followed her everywhere. Cecily's enthusiasm was tiring, but entertaining at the same time. She never seemed to shut up and talked about everything and anything.

That was anything except for Will. She was closed off about her brother. Whenever Tessa would ask her about him, she would shrug and just say, "it's Will," as if that fully explained the question.

Tessa took the time to observe the surroundings around her. Tortuga was loads more shadier than Blackfriars Ports. There were pubs and brothels at every corner. Women with barely any clothing roamed the streets, as random brawls broke up in the middle of the streets.

"Is anyone interested in buying a wench?" shouted a voice suddenly from the side. The three of them looked around to see a shady building in the side. There was a man with a bunch of women in ridiculous dresses, as if they were more clowns than women.

"What is that?" Tessa said in alarm.

"Prostitutes," Cecily murmured to her and Sophie. "Come along. We best not be seen."

Cecily pushed them along with the crowd, trying to avoid the man who was trying to auction off the women.

"I'll take her for five gold coins!" someone in the crowd shouted. Tessa stopped and watched it.

"Very well, five gold coins," reiterated the man. "Anything higher? Going once, going twice." No one said a word. "Sold, for five gold coins!" He pressed forward with a girl, who looked younger than Tessa, in an oversized purple dress, forcing her towards the man who bought her. It was digusting.

"Tessa, keep going," Cecily said hurriedly, not wanting to be stuck in this.

"And how about you, milady," said a voice. A pair of rough hands grabbed Tessa and spun her around. It was the same man.

"Get your hands off me," Tessa said, pushing the man from her.

"You're a pretty one," he smirked. "You could go for a good price."

"This one is not for sale," Cecily interjected. Behind her, Sophie looked horrified. Cecily had her hand at her belt, and Tessa saw the hilt of Cecily's sword flash in the little sunlight there was.

"Says who?" the man snorted.

"My brother is the powerful Heron the Great," Cecily said through clenched teeth. "And if he hears what you did, then consider yourself dead."

"Oh yeah?" scoffed the man. "You and what army will do that? I see no Heron the Great here. I need to see it to believe it."

With a blink of an eye, Cecily pulled out her sword and struck the man down. Tessa couldn't even process how fast it happened.

"Run!" Cecily shouted at Tessa and Sophie, and they did as they were told. The crowd parted as they took off. Tessa glanced over her shoulder to see the man struggling to get up. Cecily abruptly turned around the corner, as Tessa and Sophie followed. She kept running until she hit another corner and hid behind a building.

Cecily bent over, panting furiously, trying to catch her breath. "I think we lost them."

Tessa peered around the side of the building. There was not a soul in sight. "I think we did."

"Psst," whispered a voice. The three of them twirled around to see a woman standing before them, eyeing them curiously. They were outside a shop, and hadn't even realized it. But that wasn't what surprised Tessa; it was the woman herself. Or not particularly a woman: she had periwinkle skin and white hair that flowed about her.

"Hyacinth!" Cecily squealed in delight.

"Hello there Cecily," the woman, Hyacinth, said. "And who might your two companions be?"

"This is Tessa, and that's Sophie," Cecily said, gesturing to them. Tessa gave an awkward smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Hyacinth said sweetly. She had a sort of singsong voice.

"Ours too," Tessa said, relaxing a bit.

"That was quite a scare you had out there," said Hyacinth, a worried look crossing her face.

"You saw?" Cecily said.

Hyacinth nodded. "You caused quite a commotion. It was hard to go unnoticed."

"Sorry about that," Cecily said, looking down at her boots.

"Don't apologize for that child," said Hyacinth sympathetically. "Tortuga has become worse than before."

"What do you mean?" Tessa said. Tortuga has always been dangerous, and Tessa never thought it would be worse than it already was.

"Oh yes," Hyacinth went on, sounding troubled. "More crime, more violence. These streets are not safe, especially for three pretty girls like you wondering about."

"See Cecy. We told you!" Sophie reprimanded Cecily. Cecily gave her a guilty look.

"What's that you got there," Hyacinth spoke up. She was looking right at Tessa.

"Me?" Tessa pointed at herself in confusion.

"Yes, that necklace you got there," Hyacinth indicated towards Tessa's clockwork angel necklace.

"Oh, it's nothing," Tessa waved it off. No one really knew about her necklace, besides her mother of course.

"It's definitely something," Hyacinth said stubbornly. "May I see it."

Reluctantly, Tessa unclasped the necklace from behind her neck and handed it to Hyacinth. She didn't know why, but she trusted Hyacinth somehow. She couldn't quite put a finger to it.

"Hmm, this is most curious," Hyacinth observed, twirling the necklace between her slim blue fingers.

"What is it?" Tessa asked inquisitively.

"I haven't seen something like this in years," Hyacinth went on. "And this clockwork mechanism. It's most intricate."

"You've seen this before?" Tessa said, raising her eyebrows expectantly.

Hyacinth nodded. "I would wear it at all times child. It may come in handy at sometime." Clearly she knew something that Tessa didn't know, and gently handed it back to Tessa. Tessa put it on and felt the comfort of the angel dangling below her collarbone.

"Now, the three of you best go back to your ship before any more danger comes. It's not safe here." And with that Hyacinth disappeared into her shop.

* * *

"So what's the deal with her?" Gabriel said, giving Gideon a sideways glance.

"With who?" Gideon asked nonchalantly.

"Sophie," Gabriel said pointedly. "You know the girl who we kidnapped from the Gray girl's ship? Don't tell me you haven't noticed her."

"I know who she is," Gideon said rather abruptly. In fact, he had noticed her. More than he was used to. They had been spending a lot more time together, and Gideon was used to her constant presence. She was quiet around everyone, except for him. She was beginning to open up to him and he enjoyed having her around.

"So you have noticed?" Gabriel winked at Gideon. They had reached the supply store and started gathering up necessary supplies. It felt weird not having to loot for a change. Gideon took a sudden interest in getting what they needed.

"No, not at all," Gideon said quickly.

"Uh huh, sure," Gabriel said, laughing to himself. They had finished collecting what they needed and paid for everything, leaving the store. In their hands they carried bundles of food and other things that Will wanted.

"I'm sure, it's nothing," Gideon said again.

"Tell me when it happens, brother," Gabriel said, and pushed his way forward.

* * *

"So what do you need?" Will said to Henry.

"A map," Henry simply said.

"A map?" Jem repeated in alarm.

"Henry, you're telling me that we docked at Tortuga just so you could get a map?" Will said in shock.

"Yup," Henry grinned, acting as if nothing was wrong. He ruffled his bright orange hair.

"Henry do you know what you're saying?" Jem said, catching onto where Will was going with this.

"Yes, I do," Henry said, sounding a bit irritated. "We are at Tortuga to get a map."

"Henry!?" Will shouted, losing his temper. "You're the sailing master of our ship. Don't you keep damn maps for yourself? Please tell me that you do."

"Well, of course I do dear boy!" Henry said, still smiling.

"Then why don't you use those ones?" Will said exasperated. He begun to walk away from Henry and back towards the ship.

"Ah, that is where you're wrong, Master Herondale," Henry said, placing his hand on Will's shoulder and steering him the opposite direction. "I need a special map."

"Do you really, Henry?" Jem said politely.

"Yes, James," Henry said, pressing them onwards. "Now come along. I know what I'm doing."

Will looked at Jem in bewilderment, and Jem, in turn, just shrugged and followed Henry.

Henry reached a shop labeled "Inventions, Trinkets, and Everything More" and opened the door, ushering Will and Jem inside.

The place was unlike any other kind of shop that Will had seen in Tortuga. There were things flying about the store, clockwork gadgets in every corner, and different inventions all around.

"Wonder what he wants here," Will muttered to Jem. They peered over at Henry, who seemed lost in his own inventions.

Jem reached out to touch a ticking wheel, when Will slapped his hand away. "Be careful James! Don't want to damage anything here."

"I guess you're right," Jem agreed.

"I found it!" Henry announced. In one hand, he was holding a piece of parchment, presumably the map, and in the other was a black object.

"What is that?" Will said in awe.

"This, my dear boy, is a map," Henry said, raising the parchment up in the air for extra emphasis. "It shows a full illustration of the sea and will make it easier for me to navigate us to Cadair Idris."

"I know it's a map," Will rolled his eyes. "But what is that." He pointed at the black thing.

"A Sensor!" Henry said, jumping up and down like a little child. "I've always wanted one of these." He held it up to his eyes, admiring it.

"What does it do, Henry?" Jem inquired. He seemed to not be annoyed. Will envied Jem's saint-like nature.

"It lets me know if there are dangers in the sea," Henry explained. "It'll be especially useful as we venture to Cadair Idris, especially since barely anyone has made it that far. I heard krakens lurk beneath the passage to there. So best to be safe than sorry. Am I right, boys?"

"Henry, there are no such thing as kraken," Will said. "No one has ever seen one before."

"There are," Henry said. "And this Sensor will protect us from them."

"I guess you're right," Jem said, nodding his head.

"You believe in krakens too?" Will said in irritation.

"I'm not saying that I do," Jem said. "But something like that may come in handy. Well done, Henry."

"Yes, very well done," Will said half-heartedly. "Now, are we done here? We should be going soon." He reached into his coat's pocket and pulled out a pocket watch. It was nearly six in the evening, so it had almost been an hour.

"Yes, let me just go pay for this," said Henry, shuffling towards the counter. He quickly paid for the Sensor and the map, and the three of them left the shop.

By the time they reached _Ithuriel_. Everyone was already on board. Will said Tessa in the corner with Cecily and Sophie. Tessa was busy fiddling with something, and as Will approached them, he noticed that it was a necklace. He had seen the necklace before, but never paid much attention to it. As he came closer, he saw it was an angel made of clockwork gears.

"So Will, are we ready to go?" Cecily said, diverting his attention away from Tessa.

"Um, yes. We are," Will said, shaking thoughts from his head. "Let's go Henry!" he shouted.

"Aye aye captain," Henry said in response. The crew pulled the gangway up and Henry steered the ship away from port.

"Did you find what you wanted?" Tessa said.

"Henry did," Will said. "And you? Anything interesting happened?"

"No, not really," Tessa said rather swiftly. She was hiding something. Will was sure of it. But, he wasn't going to pressure her into telling him. If she wanted to, she would in due time.

For now, Will looked into the sunset as the ship pulled away from Tortuga and towards their final destination: Cadair Idris.

* * *

**This has got to be the longest chapter yet. Much longer than I anticipated. 3,295 words minus this A/N and the review responses. So yay!**

**THANK YOU GUYS! We finally surpassed 100 reviews! You all get a virtual cookie :D So could I get another 10 for the next chapter?**

**On a side note, I just finished Prisoner of Azkaban. 3/7 books complete now!**

**Okay I'm done now. Okay, bye. (Hehe Frozen reference. I'm tired now).**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	10. Smooth Sailing

**KellyHerondale: It's a fictional place. I based it off of the Tortuga that appears in Pirates of the Caribbean. Or something like that haha.**

**Wessaalltheway: Can I just say I love your name? Haha. Thanks for the review though!**

**TessaElsaHerondale: Oh boy. Long review! Haha. You can ramble as much as you like! We're all friends here :) The Sensor was actually not part of the original plan. It kinda came spontaneously when I was writing this chapter. AWWWWW! Thank you so so much! That means so much to me :D I really love your new fanfic too! Speaking of which, I gotta go read that new chapter of yours :P But about the angel necklace, your memory is totally correct! It's gonna be more important for later in the story. Thanks so much for the review!**

**The-Finale-Hope: Oooh you'll find out about the necklace later. Everything will all make sense in the end. Ahhh Goblet of Fire is one of my favorites too! Deathly Hallows is my ultimate fav, but GoF makes a close second :)**

**Silverandblack: Yummmm. Even better :)**

**Personorwhatever: Lol gotta love Frozen. Glad you liked it! I just had to include more Sideon. Oh that's not bad. Haha you're better than me with summer reading. What book is it?**

**millisiana: Thank you! Yay for Sideon! Haha. As for the Wessa, you'll just have to wait and see ;)**

* * *

It had been a day since _Ithuriel _had left Tortuga, and so far it had been smooth sailing. Or so it seemed.

Immediately after getting on board, people bombarded Tessa, Sophie, and Cecily of what happened in Tortuga. Turns out that they were the only ones who actually left the ship; all the others were too scared to set foot on the island. Cecily gave a quick overview, leaving out the details about Hyacinth and the man who had approached them.

"It's good to hear that you were safe," Charlotte told them. "I should have gone with you girls."

"We were fine," Cecily said, waving her off. Tessa could tell that Charlotte was almost like an older sister to Cecily. "Besides, you had to guard the ship."

"True, true," Charlotte mumbled. Before she could say anything, Will, Jem, and Henry emerged from the captain's quarters. They had been there for the whole day, and hadn't uttered a word since returning from Tortuga the day before.

"I have something to show you all!" Henry announced excitedly. Everybody gathered around the red-haired man.

"Well, what is it Henry?" Cecily asked eagerly.

"Just something stupid," Will muttered under his breath. Jem nudged him hard and Will glared at him.

"Let Henry show it," Tessa said. Will's face was a mask of indifference.

"It's this!" Henry said excitedly, revealing a black object in the palm of his hand.

"Uh Henry," Cecily said, "what exactly is that?"

"It's a Sensor!" he said excitedly, as if that explained everything. Out of the corner of her eye, Tessa saw Will roll his eyes. "It shows you what dangers are lurking about."

"That may come in handy," Tessa said.

"You're saying that you're agreeing with him, Gray?" Will said, ogling her in disbelief.

"Will," Tessa said sternly. "I think it's useful, especially in these seas."

"Yeah, definitely," Cecily agreed.

"Not you too!" Will said exasperatedly, throwing his hands in the air. Everyone ignored him.

"It may help look for krakens," said Henry thoughtfully.

"Krakens?" Tessa asked.

"You've never heard of them?" Cecily said, an eyebrow lifted dubiously.

"Of course I have," Tessa said firmly. She knew that krakens inhabited the deep seas and attacked sailors crossing their paths. But it was an old sailors' myth… no one had ever seen one before.

"Henry, you know there's no such thing," Gideon said, shaking his head.

"Just wait. You never know until you see one," Henry reasoned.

No one said anything. They just decided it was best to let Henry be.

* * *

Cecily Herondale was not always a pirate for all her life. By now, you probably knew this.

Cecily stood at the corner of the main deck, quietly watching Will and Tessa intensely engage in hand in hand combat with their swords. She had never seen her brother behave this way around anyone else, well other than Jem. Will was so patient and gentle with Tessa, but at the same time set in full concentration. He seemed different now that Tessa was on board, and he had definitely changed for the better. That was, she had not seen this side of Will since before he left home.

Home.

It felt like so long ago, yet yesterday since she had left. She could hardly believe that it had been four years since she ran away from home.

She didn't remember much of Ella; most of the stories of her she heard from Will. Her parents rarely opened up about her older sister. She was only thirteen when she left and ten when Ella died, just barely a child.

The events that followed were awful. Cecily recalled hiding away with her parents as Will bolted away. And Ella never returned. Her parents shielded her from her sister's body, but it was enough to know that Ella was dead. And she was never coming back.

The Herondale mansion fell to ruins after then. Cecily saw the despair that both Edmund and Linette went through. Not only did they lose their elder daughter, but also their son. After Will fled, the house was never the same.

Edmund resorted to gambling and other detrimental vices. Linette spent the days sulking in the corner and not talking to anyone. On top of that, Cecily's parents were constantly fighting. Eventually, her father lost his lordship in Idris. And just like that, they were nothing.

After three years of dealing with this lifestyle, Cecily couldn't take it anymore. Her parents had completely neglected her at this point. They wouldn't notice if she was gone. So, she ran away, taking all of her closest possessions with her.

It was definitely hard to manage, especially for a thirteen-year old girl. But, Cecily pulled through. One day, she was passing through a village when she heard stories about a new pirate on the street: Heron the Great.

That name. It sounded so familiar, yet she couldn't seem to know why. As she moved along, she heard more about this mysterious pirate, about how he ravaged towns, stole loot, and didn't leave any pity behind.

Soon enough, Cecily put two and two together. Her last name, Herondale, literally meant "heron" and "great". And just like that, this pirate meant one thing: Will.

Instead of fleeing from Heron the Great, like what most sane people did, Cecily decided to hunt him down. This was the closest she had ever been to her brother in three years. He was really all that she had left.

Sure enough, she found him faster than she imagined. It wasn't that hard; he was on a streak through Idris and left destruction in his wake.

Will had been livid when he first saw Cecy. Not exactly the reunion she had pictured in her mind. She had expected him to embrace her and cry out of happiness for finally seeing his full-grown sister after three years. Instead, he scolded her and condemned her, angry that she had risked her life to come after him.

Cecily tried to reason with him, of course. She told him of her parents, how Herondale mansion was no more. But unfortunately, it didn't work. So Cecily was insistent. She followed him everywhere he went and never left his side.

She even got acquainted to the other pirates that followed Heron the Great. They didn't even know his true name. There was Henry, and Charlotte, and Gideon, and Gabriel. And, of course, Jem. Jem seemed to be the only person Will was kind to and treated well.

Eventually, after much persistence, Will gave in. He saw it was hopeless, sending Cecily away. So he allowed her to live on the ship and join them on their expeditions. But he was evermore distant with her.

That was until Tessa came on the ship. Something changed in Will. On top of that, Will's attitude towards Cecily had improved and she felt like she was almost getting her brother back. Almost.

In the end, Cecily knew why Will was so harsh to her at first. Why he kept trying to send her away and telling her to go back home. It was because he loved her. No matter how much he built his walls up and how much he tried to look like he didn't care, he really did. To protect those he loved.

Cecily smiled at the thought of this and turned away from Will and Tessa. They needed their privacy.

* * *

"You're getting better at this," Will said to Tessa, giving her a genuine smile. Tessa couldn't help but to smile back.

It had now been three days since they had left Tortuga, and it was still smooth sailing. Ever since their first session a few days ago, Will had taken a sudden interest in teaching Tessa how to properly fight with the sword daily. Tessa couldn't help but think that she was actually enjoying this. It was midday now and they had been practicing now for the past couple hours.

"Your stance has improved greatly," Will said, scanning her from head to toe. Tessa was fully aware of Will taking her in, and her heart began beating rapidly. She could feel her cheeks redden.

"Do you really think so?" Tessa said breathlessly, as if she had just ran a mile.

"Yes," Will said, taking a step towards her. He was dangerously close.

Will placed a hand on her shoulder. "Your no longer tense like you were before. That's good. Now, you should be able to strike with ease." Will moved to the side. "Try it. Lunge."

Tessa looked at him, and Will nodded his head in encouragement. She took a step forward and struck out Needle.

"Very good," Will said sounding impressed. Tessa returned to her normal stance. "The only advice I have for you is to loosen your grip, and then lunge." Will put his hand over Tessa, and a jolt ran through her body. He then guided her step, making her lunge with him. "That's better."

Tessa looked up at him, and he was staring at her very intently. His midnight eyes were even bluer than blue. They stayed in that position, the lunge, for a while longer.

"I want to show you something," Will suddenly announced. "You can put away your sword."

Tessa did as she was told and slipped her sword into her belt. "What are you going to show me?"

"It's a surprise," Will said, winking at her. Ever so gently, he took her hand and steered her away from the main deck and to the stairs leading them below deck. He took the steps, slowly, as Tessa followed close behind. They passed the mess hall and headed in the direction of Tessa's room.

Will stopped abruptly in front of the locked door. It seemed familiar somehow. From his coat pocket, he revealed a glittering golden key. He fit it into the lock and pushed the door open.

"Ladies first," Will smiled, gesturing inside. Tessa gave him a dubious look before stepping inside. And what she saw made her catch her breath.

Books. Books, books, and more books covered every inch of the room. It was illuminated by the sunlight streaming from a tiny window above, but it was enough to light up the whole room. This must have been the library that Jem had told her about. Tessa was in awe.

"Jem told me you love to read," Will said, eyeing her carefully, as if he could read every one of her thoughts. He closed the door and stepped inside.

"As you," Tessa said, unable to hide her happiness.

"What do you think that we steal? Other than money and treasure of course," Will said. Instead of looking at Tessa, though, he was staring intently at his boots.

"You steal these?" Tessa gasped in disbelief.

Will shrugged. "I need somehow to entertain myself."

Tessa immediately dropped the book she was holding, as if it was poison. Will sauntered over and picked it up, holding it out to her. Tessa didn't take it.

"Take it," Will insisted. "If it makes you feel better, I do pay for these. I just drop a couple of gold coins for the shopkeeper."

Reluctantly, Tessa took it. Books felt more precious than treasure to her.

"That's better," Will grinned. "I would never steal books. It would be much too painful for me, Tess."

"Tess?" Tessa said in confusion. No one had ever called her that. Sure, Nate called her Tessie loads of time, but she had never heard Tess.

"Everyone else calls you Tessa, so I have to call you Tess," Will said matter-of-factly, his eyes glittering in the light.

"I see," Tessa said, narrowing her eyes at him.

Will ignored her.

Suddenly, the ship shook and jerked violently to the side. Tessa braced herself against a bookshelf.

"What was that?" Tessa said in alarm.

"Must be rough seas," Will said dismissively. "So where was I?"

"You were nowhere," Tessa said, scrunching her eyebrows in puzzlement."

"Well, anyway," Will went on as if Tessa hadn't uttered a single word. "Please, do be careful. Some of these books here are centuries old and can fall apart with just a simple human touch. And if you break any of them, then consider yourself dead."

Tessa quickly put away another book she was holding. She didn't want to risk it.

"Wow, you sure are easy to tease," Will smirked. Tessa wanted to slap that smug grin off his face. "Now tell me, Tess, what sort of books do you like to read?"

Before Tessa could say anything, Jem came bursting into the room. His expression was of complete worry and urgency.

"James?" Will said in panic, his playful demeanor rapidly disappearing. "What ever is it?"

"Trouble, above deck," Jem said. He sounded out of breath, and before Will and Tessa could react, he took off. Will ran right behind him, Tessa on his heels. They scurried up the steps, Will and Jem taking them two at a time.

When Tessa finally made it up, she saw it was dark. That wasn't right. It was midday. Darkness wasn't due for another few more hours.

And then she saw it.

A looming figure had wrapped itself on one side of the ship, covering the mast. She couldn't see the full thing, but saw it had multiple legs, all of them grasping for parts of the ship. No. They were tentacles.

And it wasn't any old creature.

It was a kraken.

* * *

**dun dun dun... Didn't see that coming, huh?**

**Okay, so I realized I was being unfair and asked for ten reviews for the last sucky chapter and didn't get it. So instead, could I get seven for this one? Just to make sure that people are interested D:**

**Next chapter: KRAKEN ATTACK! RAWRRRR. Okay I don't think krakens make that noise, but RAWR.**

**On a different note, apparently the Clockwork Princess manga came out today. And my local bookstore didn't have it. Grrrr rageeeeee. I just wanna see Will and Tessa and Jem on paper. Is it that hard? Okay end rant.**

**So is 7 reviews good for the next chapter? Because then you can all see the kraken! And more surprises to come!**

**I'm tired. Peace out!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	11. The Kraken

**Wessaalltheway: Yes, and I promise there will be more!**

**Guest: Hmmm you'll find out now what happens with the kraken!**

**millisiana: You'll get more Wessa later. I didn't want to rush it. Oooh expect more twists to come! Awww no! About CP2 manga. Yeah I keep checking my bookstore, but they still don't have it :/ At least we all get to read it in the end though!**

**The-Finale-Hope: Thanks! Glad you liked the library. And yes! Henry was right about that kraken in the end haha. Ugh I still can't find the CP2 manga! Why is it so difficult? Rageeeeee! Anyways, enjoy this chapter!**

**vds: How is this a ripoff? Please, enlighten me. And I didn't steal it; I clearly said in the beginning that I was going to be borrowing elements from Pirates of the Caribbean, thank you very much.**

**Alexia 'Alec' Lightwood-Holmes: Meow? hehe**

**TessaElsaHerondale: Thank you! I felt it was necessary to include Cecily's backstory, especially since it complements Will's. Awwww, you're much too kind :) Lol I wish I knew Cassie! That would be a dream come true. And you're not bad at English! It's very impressive. Well, I hope you like this chapter!**

** .Nancy: Happy to know that I surprised you! I'm glad your perspective changed. Enjoy this chapter!**

**Vialovesbooks: Awww! My lips are sealed, but Henry does have something to do with it, as you'll find out in this chapter. Ohhhhh the kiss. Yeah, it's gonna be a while haha. Still developing the Wessa!**

**Guest: Thanks for the review! Glad you like the twists!**

**Personorwhatever: Oh yes, the kraken. You're going to get a lot if it in this chapter! Oh yeah, I didn't even realize that connection to Tangled. Funny because I'm listening to the Tangled soundtrack right now :P Oh, I've heard that book is loborious... never read it myself, but I'll get to it eventually. Eep that sounds difficult! Awww that's so sweet of you to help her :) I bet you were exhausted, on top of reading that book. Hopefully, this chapter will relax you a bit :) Or we'll see about that ;)**

**Silverandblack: Hehe you're in for a treat! Hmmm, I chose a chocolate chip ice cream sandwich with cookie dough ice cream in between :)**

**Guest: Thank you!**

**Matilovesbooks: Hello again! Hope you had fun camping! So have you read HP before then? Lol, glad you liked the library. There'll be more Wessa later. Ugh I still can't get a hold of the manga! It's so frustrating grrr. Awww that sucks though :( And no, I haven't read the Codex. I want to, but idk if it'll be worth it and if I should spend the money. I'll probably just borrow it from the library. Or just read it the next time I'm at the bookstore haha.**

* * *

Tessa froze in panic, unsure of what to do. The whole ship was in a complete frenzy. Of course, there was the kraken, which was comfortably latched onto the side of _Ithuriel_, trying to bring the ship under. Majority of the crew was running about the ship, trying to find ways to fend off the monstrous creature. Gideon and Sophie were back to back, desperately attempting to chop off one of the many tentacles. Gabriel was rushing the other way, where some other tentacles reached out.

Henry, on the other hand, was standing over in the corner of the main deck, and was being of no help at all. He was holding the Sensor and flashing it to anyone who passed by.

"See, I told you it works!" he told an irritable Cecily, who was gathering more swords.

"Henry, could you please be of some use and help?" she shouted at him, nearly dropping all the swords.

Tessa, still transfixed on that kraken, glanced over at Will and Jem. They were wearing the same expression as her: total horror.

"I'm sorry Cecily, but I can't seem to get this thing to stop," Henry yelled over the raucous.

"Ugh," Cecily grunted, and then dashed off to help the others.

"Come on," Will said to Tessa and Jem under his breath, and then broke into a sprint towards Henry. Tessa looked over at Jem, who shrugged then hurried over to Will. Tessa followed shortly behind.

As Tessa ran, something came swinging into view. She ducked and narrowly missed an elongated tentacle, which was trying to grab ahold of the stern, but was completely out of range. She glanced over her shoulder, but she still couldn't see the body of the kraken; just a mess of entangled legs and tentacles. Whatever it was, she didn't want to see the whole thing.

"Henry, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Will demanded as they approached the red-haired inventor. He turned to them, his countenance wild.

"William! Hello there, good old boy," Henry said cheerily, as if nothing was happening.

"I don't have time for this Henry," Will said impatiently. "You need to be helping out with that." He jutted a finger towards the general direction of the kraken.

"But it's working!" Henry said, jumping up and down and waving the Sensor about. "I told you it would! And it even detected the kraken!"

"We can see that Henry," Will said. It was apparent that he was on the verge of completely losing his temper.

"But the kraken is real!" Henry said excitedly.

"Yes we know," Jem said. Even he seemed slightly annoyed, which was a lot for Jem. "But, unfortunately, it is going to destroy the ship, unless we all help."

"Yes, yes, very well," Henry said quietly, nodding his head. He unsheathed his sword from his belt and ran away from his corner, shouting, "Charlotte! I'm coming for you."

"Uh Henry," Will said. "The kraken is the other way."

"Oh right, of course," Henry corrected himself. He spun around on his heels and headed the opposite direction.

Will and Jem drew out their swords. Tessa reached for Needle, which was nestled in her belt.

"I think not," Will said, eyeing her sword warily.

"And why not?" Tessa challenged him.

"Because, it's risky," Will reasoned with her. "And we don't want you to get hurt. Right, Jem?" He nudged Jem in the side.

"Ow! That hurt, William," Jem said, rubbing his side and casting Will a glance.

"That's for Jem to decide," Tessa said haughtily. "You can't speak for him."

"Well, what do you say Jem?" Will said, looking at the other boy expectantly.

"I think Tessa can fight if she wants to," Jem said with a cool calm.

Will stared at him in disbelief. "What?" he bellowed.

"She's a terrific fighter, William. I know you can't deny it," Jem said. "And plus, we need an extra hand."

Will continued to stare at him as if it were hard to believe.

"Well what do you say?" Jem said, turning to Tessa.

"I say I'm in," Tessa grinned, ready for the thrill. Jem smiled back and went off towards the monster, Tessa closely trailing him. A dumbstruck Will eventually went after them, his feet dragging him along.

Jem approached Cecily, who was battling two tentacles at once. When she saw them, she gave them a look of relief.

"Oh good, you're here," she said breathless. "Stupid Gabriel ditched me to help Sophie and Gideon. Now help!"

And they went right on it. Cecily and Tessa blocked incoming tentacles, as Will and Jem worked on cutting the ones that were firmly gripping the main mast.

"Tessa, watch out!" Cecily shouted out in alarm. Tessa sidestepped and narrowly missed yet another tentacle. Without thinking twice, Tessa reached out her sword and slashed the tentacle. A clean cut, but it was not far enough to fully damage the arm.

At the exact moment, Will cried out. Tessa and Cecily spun around to see a look of triumph across his face. He had perfectly cut the tentacle off, and the kraken wailed in agony.

"Hah!" Will yelled. "Take that!" He pointed Raziel high in the air. The tentacle flew in the air, and as it did, Tessa noticed that the tip was unlike all the other ones; it was extra long and had a pointed end, with even more suckers.

Suddenly, there was a screech and the boat shook rapidly from side to side. Tessa reached for the pole and braced herself. As did Cecily and Jem. Will, however, stayed put and didn't move. He had a surprisingly good center of balance.

And then she saw it.

The great and hideous beast rose from the dark depths of the bottomless ocean. It used it's remaining tentacles to latch onto _Ithuriel_ to brace itself. Tessa could finally see it's face, or what was it. It was almost a dirty pink in color, with two beady, rotund, blood red eyes staring straight at them menacingly. It's brow, or whatever it was, was bent downwards, as if it was perpetually frowning upon them. And at the bottom of it's "face" was what seemed to be a sort of beak.

No wonder tales of this beast described it of being so frightening. Tessa shrank back against the pole.

"Oi!" Will shouted. He seemed unaffected by the monster's presence. The kraken craned its head, as if it heard Will, then glared straight at him.

"You don't scare me," Will scoffed. The kraken opened its mouth, and for a second there, Tessa was scared it was going to eat Will. It's beak was certainly large enough to fit an entire person whole. Instead, it let out a horrible screech. Tessa had to struggle to cover her ears from the cacophony. She glanced around and saw everyone doing the same. Poor Sophie was huddled in the corner in pure fright, Gideon right next to her.

"What is he doing," Cecily muttered through gritted teeth.

"Don't worry, he can handle this," Jem said, as he crept beside the two girls.

"You seem to have overconfidence in my brother," Cecily snapped. Jem ignored her. Tessa shifted her attention back to Will, who had straightened his spine and rounded his shoulders, squarely looking at the kraken, as if he were challenging it.

"What are you trying to prove?" Will went on. "We're just a lowly group of sailors off on our merry way. So can we please get through, you great brute?"

This seemed to anger the kraken even more, which made a gesture as if shaking its head and continued to rock the ship violently. Tessa gripped the pole even tighter, her knuckles turning white.

"Will," whispered Jem loudly, as he left Cecily and Tessa and made his way towards Will. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Improvising," Will said. "I've got this all under control."

"It doesn't seem like it," Jem mumbled to himself.

"Now, my friend here doesn't see the problem," Will continued. Jem unexpectedly perked up, creeping to the right towards the side away from the kraken's viewpoint. "He is blinded by your magnificence, oh great kraken." Tessa saw Jem bend down and pick up a spear that rolled down the deck, though the kraken didn't take notice of this.

"If only he could fully see the problem," Will sneered. And at that moment, Jem daftly picked up the spear and effortlessly aimed it at the kraken. A perfect shot: the spear was wedged dead center in the middle of the kraken's right eye.

The kraken recoiled and yelped horribly again. Blood began pooling from the eye, and when it opened it, the entire eye was dark red.

"Well done James!" Will shouted. The kraken had zoomed in on Jem, but before it could do anything, Will picked up a spare sword before his feet and threw it right at the kraken's other eye. Will laughed triumphantly, though the hideous creature found no humor in this.

It continued to shake and howl in pain, but could do nothing about its bleeding eyes. The tentacles went down under with it, as the kraken lowered itself from the ship.

Tessa nearly forgot that the other big tentacle was still hanging onto the pole. The very same pole that she was tightly holding on to. Before she could react, the pole was wrenched out of its socket by it's tentacle and pulled overboard, Tessa with it. And she screamed at the top of her lungs.

_Splash_.

In a blink of an eye, Tessa painfully hit the water, stomach first. She felt like she was going to throw up her lunch.

But that wasn't it. The kraken was still there, though it was sinking below the sea. With a big flop, its entire figure went under unceremoniously, sending a giant wave hurtling to Tessa. Whether it was dead or alive or just unconscious, Tessa didn't know.

Tessa gulped and the wave enveloped her whole body and sent her away from _Ithuriel_ and all of its people on board.

* * *

**This has got to be the shortest chapter I've written so far. Well, I wanted to avoid rambling and get straight to the point so yeah.**

**So where is Tessa going? Review and you'll find out soon!**

**Well, it's like 5 am and I should sleep. Plus my eyes are killing me D:**

**Until next time my lovelies!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	12. The Lost Island

**TessaElsaHerondale: Sorry? Hehe. I just had to do that! You know I love just playing with you guys xD Oooh the basilisk! I like just read that part, since I'm rereading the HP series. And this was a decent review! It was amazing! Just glad to know this came as a shock haha.**

**millisiana: Awww thanks! Oooh underwater world... that sounds interesting. Guess you'll find out soon!**

**Fanfic lover xox: Awww thank you! You'll find out in this chapter.**

**ZaraHerondale: Thank you so much! You will definitely get a lot more Wessa in the chapters to come. I try and update every other day, though sometimes I get lazy and it ends up being two days later. But at least three times a week! It depends when school starts up, but hopefully I'll be done with this fic before school begins. Hope you like this chapter!**

**Thalia Ash: Hehe *looks away guiltily*. Enjoy!**

**Your biggest fan: Awww (to your name). Maybe Will will jump after Tessa, maybe he won't. Guess you'll find out soon :P**

**The-Finale-Hope: Yay cliffies! Omg Rick Riordan's are the worst. Like the one in Mark of Athena. GAH. You're prediction may be right, but you'll find out in this chappie.**

**Wessaalltheway: Thanks! Enjoy!**

**KellyHerondale: Oooh you'll definitely get their reaction soon. Not saying when though.**

**Silverandblack: Nah, Tessa won't die... or not yet. Thanks for the chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream! Or rocky road. Idk, my fav varies lol.**

**Personorwhatever: Haha glad to know! Those books can get a bit dense :/ Oh I remember the good old days of drivers ed... it's tons of fun, right? Haha beetle! That's funny... never thought of it that way. Hmmm Will may jump after or, or maybe he'll be evil and just leave her. Guess you'll find out now!**

**Matilovesbooks: Hehe oh Will. Aww that sucks :( Well tell me how it is! I'll probably end up buying it, like how I do with all of Cassie's books. Yes, I've read the Maze Runner, but not a big fan of it. I've read all those series you've listed off; HP, Percy Jackson, and TFIOS are some of my favs. I would recommend other John Green. Oh, and since you seem to like dystopian, read the Legend series. It's a lot better than HG/Divergent. The Grisha series (Shadow and Bone) is another one of my tops. And Graceling. I also have a lot of favorite adult novels. Let me know!**

**CookiesHerondale: Don't apologize! Hope you had a great holiday :) Glad you liked all the last chapters! I felt it was necessary to add Cecily's story, since it complements the overall story well. Haha I didn't know what a kraken looked like until I researched it for this. They are quite frightening D:**

**nicoleherondale: Hmmm, you'll see soon ;)**

**The Iron Sister: Welcome back! I see you updated your fic, so I'll read it soon! Ugh, Wi-fi can be such a bitch sometimes. Hope you had fun at your camp though. Glad to know that I haven't disappointed yet. You'll definitely get more POVs in the future, like Cecily and Sophie. And more Sideon to come! Ooooh I enjoy torturing all of you with Wessa ;) In the meantime, enjoy this chapter!**

**Guest: Thank you so much! And good to know! The wait for Lady Midnight just seems way to far D:**

**angelicaangel: Hi there! Awww thanks so much! That means a lot. Glad Henry was funny hehe. I wasn't sure if I was doing that right :/ Well, enjoy this chapter. Hope it doesn't disappoint!**

* * *

Tessa held her breath as another wave came hurtling towards her, once again sending her spinning. She absolutely hated this feeling. When the wave passed, Tessa resurfaced, gasping for breath. And it didn't help that she could barely swim. At the least, she could keep herself afloat, but that would only last so far.

Then, out in the distance, Tessa saw something bobbing up and down in the water. She willed her arms to paddle her towards the thing, and as she approached, she saw that it was a piece of wood. And it was not just any piece of wood. It was probably from the pole, that very same fateful pole, which sent Tessa out of _Ithuriel_.

She swam faster and reached for the splintered wood, pulling herself onto it. It could keep her floating, for the time being, and was large enough to keep her supported upright. Tessa breathed heavily; swimming had really drained the energy out of her. And it didn't help that water was moving violently around her.

Tessa looked around her and saw there wasn't a soul in sight. The kraken had completely disappeared, though there was no telling if it would reappear again. Tessa hoped to the angels that it wouldn't. There was also no sign of _Ithuriel_. How far had she gone? Will the others notice that she was missing? Sophie? Cecily? Jem? Will?

Tessa exhaled and leaned against the piece of wood. She felt utterly hopeless and helpless at the same time. But there was nothing to do in this situation. So she just stayed there, and let the waves carry her away. Finally, she drifted into a somewhat soundless sleep.

* * *

Tessa awoke, lying prostrate and staring up to the cloudless periwinkle sky. Wait. That couldn't be right. She was in the middle of the ocean, feeling completely vulnerable with nowhere to go.

She must have been dreaming. Yes, that sounded right. She was sleeping, this was all a dream, and when she would awake, she would still be stuck in the bottomless ocean. Just to confirm, she pinched herself on her arm.

"Ow!" Tessa exclaimed. Okay, it was definitely not a dream.

Startled, Tessa hoisted herself up. She stared in front of her and saw the sea glistening out in the horizon. She glanced down and saw she was sitting upon a sandy white beach. She patted the sound and felt the grains slipping between her slim fingers. This was definitely a dream.

Slowly, but surely, Tessa stood up, smoothing her clothes and dusting the sand off of her. She was still wearing what she had on before: her white shirtfront loosely tucked into her black pants with a complementing pair of black boots. Surprisingly, none of her garments were torn nor had any evident damage to it, other than being sopping wet. Tessa's hair had come loose and was hanging well below her shoulder. It probably looked like a dangled mess, but Tessa could care less.

What she really cared about was what was on this damn island. Or at least she presumed it was an island. The last known land mass was Alicante, and after that was Idris, and they never really reached the latter. So it made sense if this was an island.

Islands aside, Tessa spun around to face what was behind her. Her eyes rested on what looked like a large jungle of some sorts that stretched far beyond what she could see. No way in hell she was going to investigate what was in there. Or not by herself, though there was nobody else there. In fact, it looked like there wasn't another soul in sight. She glanced around the beach to see that the only thing there, besides rocks, was the wood she had latched onto earlier.

Sighing, Tessa let her legs carry her away from her spot and towards the side of the beach. She walked along the shore, but all she could see was water on her right and jungle on the left. It wasn't very helpful, and after a while, she felt like she was going around in circles. She felt completely forlorn.

But then, after what seemed like hours but could have been minutes, Tessa saw something in the distance. It looked like a giant rock at first glance. Tessa broke out into a run, and as she neared it, she realized that it wasn't a rock, but a cave. Could this be the infamous Cave of Forgotten Wonders? It seemed kind of small.

Tessa reached, but had to catch her breath. It wasn't good that she ran and that she hadn't eaten for a long time. She peered her head inside the cave and let out a scream.

Skeletons. At least ten of them scattered about in grotesque positions. Tessa dared not to go into the cave and skirted around it. Would this be her fate if she stayed on this island? Death by starvation, heat, or maybe something worse? No, there was no if. She had to get off, and she had to find a way. She would rather be captured by pirates over and over again then to meet death like these unfortunate people did.

Suddenly, Tessa heard voices. Human voices. Was she imagining things? No, they sounded very real and very close. Tessa followed the voices away from the cave and in the opposite direction away from where she had landed. She curved around a bend and saw them.

Cecily.

Jem.

Will.

That couldn't be possible. Tessa was the only one who went overboard. But then again, she didn't look back as the kraken's tentacle pulled her under. But as she approached, they seemed to be the three of her friends in the flesh. Will's back was to Tessa, while Cecily and Jem were facing her. They didn't seem to notice her, though.

"No Will, I'm telling you it's an island!" Cecily yelled at her brother, placing her hands at her hips. She was clearly annoyed.

"No Cecy, it's not an island," Will said, in that ever so cocky voice of his. He sounded overconfident.

"Actually, I think you're sister is right," Jem said quietly, agreeing with Cecily. Cecily gave her brother a triumphant look.

"Not you too!" Will cried, throwing his hands up in the air. "You're having delusions of grandeur, Jem. What are you two going to say? That Tessa will magically appear out of the blue."

"Actually, I think you're right," Jem said, smiling.

"Thank you for finally agreeing with me," Will sighed.

Jem shook his head. "No William, you're right about Tessa."

"It's not possible," Will gasped. "We were the only ones who were yanked over the ship. Stupid kraken."

"There she is," Jem gestured in front of him and beamed at Tessa. Cecily was also grinning ear to ear. Will whirled around and a look of shock crossed his face.

"Tess?" he said in disbelief.

"It's me," Tessa said, giving them a weak smile.

Cecily bolted towards Tessa, giving the other girl a tight hug, nearly sucking the breath out of her. "I knew you would come! I just knew it!"

"Cecily, I dunno if that's a good thing," Jem said, placing a comforting hand on Tessa's shoulder, but giving her a small smile.

"How?" Will said, still in astonishment. He was standing in the same spot and hadn't budged an inch.

"Nice to see you too Will," Tessa said half-heartedly, and Will exhaled as if he was holding his breath. He looked the same as ever, though he didn't have his signature blue coat and there was a rip through the upper part of his right sleeve. No blood, thankfully.

Cecily finally released Tessa. "To reiterate my brother's question, but in a nicer way, how did you land here?"

"Remember the pole we were holding onto?" Tessa asked, and Cecily nodded. "Well, the kraken pulled it out and brought me down into the sea. And then next thing I know, I was on this island."

"I'm guessing you saw those disgusting skeletons?" Cecily asked grimly.

"Yes," Tessa said. It was not something she particularly wanted to recall. "That's not Cadair Idris, is it?"

"No," Jem shook his head. "Cadair Idris is allegedly in the middle of the sea and not on an island."

"Well in any case, let's try not to end up like those poor suckers," Will said cheerily. "We are getting off this island."

"But how?" Jem questioned him.

"No idea," Will said. "But we'll figure a way out."

"So how did you guys end up here?" Tessa said, staring straight at Will.

"We were all standing together when the pole was ripped out," Jem said instead. "It hit us and sent us flying over, along with bits of the rail. We were all together from the start. We found pieces of wood to grab ahold of, and before we knew it, we were washed ashore on this side of the island."

"I'm going to make that kraken pay," Will said with malice. "It damaged my poor ship and left all in its wake in pure ruins. When I find it again…" Will shook his head. "And are you sure this is an island?

"That is, if we find the kraken," Cecily pointed out, ignoring her brother.

"So, is it just you three here?" Tessa asked.

Jem nodded. "We haven't seen anyone else. And I'm assuming you're on your own."

"Yeah," Tessa shrugged. "So what now?"

Everyone looked at Will.

"Why are you all staring at me for?" Will said accusingly.

"Well you are the captain," Cecily reasoned with him. "So naturally you're our leader."

"Hey, we're all in this together!" Will said. "We all have to work together to get off this damned place."

"Will's right," Jem said, nodding his head pensively.

"Finally, someone who agrees with me," Will grinned. They all ignored him.

"I think it's best split up," Jem went on. "I know how to fish, so I can help with that and gather food. Would you like to help me, Cecily?"

"I'd love to," Cecily said in excitement, looking thrilled.

"And what about me?" Will said. "There seems nothing else to do here but wait around."

"You and Tessa can explore and try to find shelter," Jem said.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Will said, raising an eyebrow.

"You're the captain, so decide for yourself," Jem smirked.

Will thought for a while. "Fine. It's better to know what's there."

"Perfect," Jem said. "Come along Cecy." The two of them spun around and headed away from Will and Tessa.

"Are you ready for this?" Tessa said, looking at Will. He looked right back at her with those piercing midnight eyes.

"Yes," Will said without hesitation. Then out of nowhere, Will struck out his hand to Tessa. Tessa glanced at it, and then reluctantly took his hand. The comfort of Will's grip made her feel all warm inside. "Are you ready for an adventure, Tess?" He had a dangerous glint to his eyes.

"I am," Tessa said, squaring her shoulders back and staring at the tangle of trees before her. And then, they entered the jungle together.

* * *

**Are you guys ready for an adventure? Because I sure am!**

**Okie, I don't have much to say, and I'm super tired. Review! Favorite! Follow! Just keep being awesome :D**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	13. Welcome to the Jungle

**SilverCarstairs: If only Will was real, huh? *sigh* Well that sure sounds like one whirlwind of an adventure! Australia sounds lovely though! I hope you had a great holiday. Thanks for your kind words... they are always so touching. I think I'm actually going to take your suggestion into account. My mind is reeling with ideas with that. I'm excited now!**

**CookiesHerondale: Hmmm, you'll see what happens with Will and Tessa in this chapter. Oh yeah, I had that all planned ;)**

**TessaElsaHerondale: Yay! Glad you've recovered now haha. Yeah, I didn't want to jump to conclusions with Wessa, you know? Small and slow steps are always the best. You'll find out about the island soon. Maybe it's the same island, but maybe it's completely different. Lol my lips are sealed though ;) Don't worry about questions! It's fun to see what you're thinking of. Of course, I have this all planned out, and I want to tell everyone what's going to happen, but I have to refrain myself. Well, enjoy this chapter!**

**nicoleherondale: They sure are! Enjoy the Wessa in this chapter :)**

**The-Finale-Hope: Haha, well predictions are always fun to make. Have fun with Wessa in this!**

**Guest: Hi Nini! ;)**

**millisiana: Lol that's what everyone is saying! I just love surprising all of you. Oh yes, the jungle will have surprises. Or maybe it's a normal jungle. Guess you'll find out soon. Enjoy this though!**

**Emma: Thank you!**

**The Iron Sister: Nope, no CPR giving here. More of an adventure instead. And on a mysterious island that is. Magnus and Nate may be on this island, but they may not. Yeah I guess this is sorta like Forbidden Love in that sense. But I can say from here on out, it's gonna be a lot different. The kiss will happen! I'm not saying when, of course. In the mean time, enjoy the Wessa to come!**

**Silvah and Black: Nice name change :) Oh, are they safe? And will they kiss? Well, you'll find out in this chapter then. lolol oh sugar and what it does. Thank you for the sugar coated cookies :D **

**Matilovesbooks: Yeah, I didn't want to make it long because it would be dragging it out. And this one is super long, so I hope it makes up. Tell me if you like those books! And let me know what you think of the Codex when you're done, k?**

**Personorwhatever: Lol no worries! I had to go back to the previous chapter to see what review response I wrote haha. Guess we're both suffering from short term memory loss. Mmmm Wessa ;) You'll find out in this chapter! Have fun with it!**

* * *

"So what exactly are we supposed to find?" Tessa asked.

"Shelter," Will said cheerily, much to Tessa's annoyance.

"I know that," Tessa sighed, rolling her eyes. "But do you have any idea how in hell to build shelter? Or what to find precisely?"

"No idea," Will said, still grinning.

"Why are you smiling?" Tessa said through gritted teeth.

"This is an adventure, Tess!" Will exclaimed. "Try and have some fun while we're out here!"

"Fun?" Tessa reiterated. "Will, we're in a jungle in who knows where, and we should be doing something important. So no, I do not want to have some fun, I want to know what the hell is here and get off this damned island."

"Way to kill the vibe, Tess," Will said, though he was still smiling stupidly. Tessa found it endearing, but dared not to say this aloud.

"Sorry," she said, feeling a bit guilty. "Let's just try and stay focused."

Tessa made her way forward through the dense tree trunks. Naturally, there was no track to follow, so the pair of them was going wherever their feet carried them. It seemed like the island was virtually uninhabited. It was nearly dark in the jungle, save for the sunlight streaming through the treetops high above. They could barely see the ground; it was covered in various plants. Tessa felt bad stomping through the thicket below, but there was no other alternative.

Suddenly, Will tripped and fell down beside her. "Ow," he said, landing uncomfortably face first.

Tessa rushed over to him. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, it's all good," Will said, turning himself over. Tessa held her hand out, and when he took it, she helped him up on his feet. He started brushing off leaves and dirt that had stained his already dirty white shirtfront. And he was still grinning, yet again. "See? That was fun Tess."

"Whatever you say," Tessa said. She refrained from rolling her eyes at him. "Let's keep a move on. I don't want to stand in one place for too long."

"What? Are you scared?" Will coaxed.

"Scared?" Tessa said, her voice going several octaves higher. "No, not me."

"Uh huh, sure," Will smirked. Tessa forced them to keep going, trying her best to ignore her.

"Will, can I ask you something?" Tessa said abruptly.

"Still scared?" he winked at her.

"Will, this is serious."

"Fine, ask away."

Tessa took a deep breath. "Why does your name sound familiar?" She knew this sounded dumb, but it had been irking her since she first learned Will's name.

"Of course it's familiar," Will said matter-of-factly. "William is probably one of the most common names. Apart from James."

"You know what I mean," Tessa said sternly. "Herondale."

Will shrugged. "I dunno where you may have heard it before. Maybe it's a figment of your imagination. Look over there, trees Tess!" He sped up a little bit more, seeming to actively avoid the question.

Tessa ran to catch up with him. He didn't seem to slow down when she reached him, so she kept pace with him.

"Stop avoiding the question!" she reprimanded him. "And I know that name from somewhere. So can you please tell me?"

"Think back Tessa," Will said, much to her surprise. "Think back to the lessons you probably received when you were once a little princess in Idris."

_Yeah, which you took away from me_, Tessa thought to herself, but brushed it aside. She racked her brain, trying to see what Will was getting at, but was unsuccessful.

"I don't get it," Tessa said in defeat.

"Think harder," Will urged her. "Didn't you learn of the histories of your land? The families and what not?"

Tessa thought about it, long and hard as they trudged through the jungle. Still no progress in finding anything new, nor anything to build for shelter. Their swords were much to weak to cut the trees, and who knew how tall these trees actually stretched.

And then it dawned on her.

"Herondale!" Tessa shouted.

"Yes, that's my name," Will said, a nervous smile playing across his lips.

"How could I be so stupid," Tessa said, hitting her head. How could she have forgotten this crucial bit of information? "Of course I know your name! Our teacher made Nate and me learn the names of all the lords of Idris. Your Edmund Herondale's son?"

"Yes," said Will grimly, avoiding eye contact with Tessa. He seemed extremely focused on what was in front of them, even though it was just more trees.

"I remember now," Tessa went on. "Edmund and Linette were one of the lords of my parents' kingdoms. My mother told me something of a tragedy, that they had lost their son and daughter and that the Herondale mansion fell into ruins. That must have been you and Cecily."

"Yeah, something like that," Will said half-heartedly. He was hiding something.

"Is there more to the story?" Tessa inquired.

"Oh, no," Will said a little too fast. "That is right."

"Hmmm," Tessa said. "I'm sorry for your loss Will. I really am." She placed a hand on his arm, feeling his strong muscles tense under her touch.

"Me too," Will said, sounding uninterested. "So you finally figured it out then. How do you feel?"

"Better now this isn't bothering me," Tessa laughed. Will didn't laugh. "So what was living a life of royalty like?"

Will looked taken aback. This was definitely not what he was anticipating her to ask. He quickly regained composure, his face devoid of emotions.

"I hated it," Will said bluntly. "Always being told what to do. Having to abide by rules and not having any freedom. It was absolute hell."

"Is that so?" Tessa said. "I feel you."

"You do?" Will said, looking at her for the first time. His eyes were startling midnight blue.

"I do," Tessa said firmly, but truthfully. "I know exactly the feeling. Being a princess and all, I constantly have to listen to the upper authority and I'm never free to do what I want. I loathe it too."

"That makes two of us," Will chuckled, giving her a genuine smile, revealing his dazzlingly straight white teeth. Tessa felt her stomach flip, but she ignored the feeling.

"Why else do you think I read?" Tessa said. "Books were my way to escape from the living prison I was always trapped in. They provided me a safe haven and a way to avoid the outside world. It was with books that I could feel for myself. I could live and breathe with the characters on the pages."

"I know that exact feeling," Will said. They had stopped, somewhere in the middle of the jungle, facing each other. Will was looking intently at Tessa, as if he could see inside her soul. "The strong connection with the characters, as if your with them at all times and they are closest to you. It was my version of paradise."

"Exactly," Tessa said breathlessly. She had barely seen this vulnerable side of Will, and she had to admit that she really liked him this way.

Will reached out for her, and pushed something away from her hair. "There's something in there," he said to himself. "No worries, I got it out." He kept his hand in her hair for a while longer, then it travelled to her face. Before Tessa knew it, he was caressing her face. She felt her eyes close, reveling in Will's touch. She could feel the rough callouses on his fingertips as they gently skimmed her cheek.

No. She couldn't let this happen. He was her captor, even if he was beginning to treat her with great kindness and generosity. She wouldn't let this get to her.

Tessa backed away from Will, and he dropped his hand to his side. In the dim light, she could see his face was flushed.

"We best get going," Tessa said hastily, then headed off further into the jungle. Will reluctantly followed behind.

* * *

At that moment, Cecily Herondale decided she hated fishing. She was literally just sitting down at the edge of the shore, wading her feet in the warm waters and idly watching Jem fish. He was intently staring at the water, waiting for some little fish to tug on the makeshift pole he made from the spare wooden parts that floated with them when they arrived on this island.

"This is boring," Cecily sighed.

"Patience, Cecily," Jem said not glancing up at her at all. How he could have such a saint-like demeanor was beyond Cecily's reasoning. In the blistering sunlight, Jem's normally silver hair appeared almost gold. He was cute, Cecily supposed, but not her type… too polite and laid back for her.

Jem and Will's relationship, though, was more than Cecily could wrap her hand around. They had met sometime during Will's journey through Idris when he was gathering a crew. They seemed to have some deep connection that ran deeper than the blood through their veins. Cecily could never be the Jem to Will, but she would and will always be his sister.

"This is taking forever," Cecily said, throwing her hands in the air. "I'm hungry. I want my fish now."

"They will come in due time," Jem said.

"I'm going to go walk around," Cecily said, thinking of nothing better to do. She stood up and brushed the sand off of her, turning away from Jem.

"Aha!" Jem yelled unexpectedly.

"What? What is it?" Cecily said, rushing over to him.

"I finally caught the little sucker," Jem said, grinning. He pulled the pole up, and sure enough there was a silver fish dangling on the edge.

"Oooh," Cecily said, admiring the fish. "So what now?"

"Now, we gut it," Jem said.

"Ewww," Cecily said, scrunching her nose in disgust. "I'm not doing that."

"Course you're not," Jem chuckled. He whipped out his sword and got to work. Cecily turned away, not wanting to watch the action. She had seen plenty of men getting brutally killed in her life, but she couldn't handle this. Pathetic.

"All finished," Jem said triumphantly. Sure enough, there were two fish filets lying on a rock that Jem had put further away from the water.

"It looks delicious," Cecily said, her mouth salivating at the thought of just eating the fish. She reached her hand towards the fish, but Jem caught her hand.

"Not quite yet," he said warningly. "We need to gather some sort of kindling to cook it. No saying if this fish is poisonous raw."

"Fine," Cecily agreed in exasperation. "So does that mean we have to go in there?" She jutted a finger to the ominous jungle before.

"Yeah, it looks like it," Jem said, not looking particularly pleased.

"But Will and Tessa haven't returned yet," Cecily pointed out. "It's felt like hours."

"They'll come when they have to," Jem said, though he sounded somewhat concerned. "They have to turn up sooner or later for food."

"That's true," Cecily said, though not fully convinced. "Let's go."

Together, they headed up the shore and to the jungle. The minute Cecily stepped inside, she felt as if she was suffocating. Trees surrounded them, all too thick with barely any wiggle room. It didn't help that the sun barely peeked through from above, giving about barely any light.

"So we're just finding wood pieces, then we're out?" Cecily asked Jem timidly.

"Yes," Jem said. "Though the covering is not helping."

"What do you mean?" Cecily said.

"You can barely see what's there," Jem gestured downwards. "And I was hoping for broken wood pieces."

"What about what we had on shore?" Cecily said. "We have that, and we could have avoided this place."

"We can't use that," Jem said. "It's too soggy from the seawater."

"That's true," Cecily said. She hadn't even realized that.

Then, she had an idea. She unsheathed her sword and headed to the nearest tree. She begun hacking at the trunk in front of her, catching the pieces that fell into her hand.

"What do you think you're doing?" Jem said, raising a delicate silver eyebrow.

"Gathering the kindling you want," Cecily said in a strained voice. The tree was a lot thicker and more difficult to cut than what she was expecting.

"Cecy don't," Jem said sternly. "Don't disrupt the natural balance of this habitat."

"Please," Cecily said. "It's just one tree. And you yourself asked Will and Tessa to go in here to find shelter. What do you think they're doing?"

"I'd rather not know," Jem said, his face indifferent.

"See, this tree will be alright. It's not like I'm cutting it down. I'm just taking a little bit of the trunk out." Cecily stepped back and saw that barely any of the tree was carved out.

_Crunch_.

Cecily twirled around in alarm. "Did you hear that?"

"No," Jem said, shrugging his shoulders.

_Crunch_.

"There it is again!" Cecily shrieked.

"I definitely heard it this time," Jem said, panic lacing his voice. "Will? Tessa? Is that you."

No response.

"I know it's you, William!" Cecily shouted. "Stop trying to play with us! We're not scared at all."

"You're one to talk," Jem snickered under his breath.

"Shut up James," Cecily whispered.

Then, from behind one of the trees by them, a figure appeared. It was a man and definitely not Will. Or Tessa for that matter.

"I think we best go," Jem said quietly to Cecily.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," she said. They turned around to make their way out, but more figures appeared. In no time, they were surrounded.

"Jem, what do we do now?" Cecily said.

"We improvise," Jem said, not sounding sure of himself.

Cecily knew that whatever they did was hopeless. They were cornered and there was no way out.

* * *

The seas had never been calmer. Sophie was utterly surprised, but she guessed the calm came after the storm in this case.

The kraken was gone, completely submerged beneath the depths of the ocean. It was odd; it retreated without a full on fight. The whole experience had been frightening, for Sophie had never experienced anything quite like it. It was exhilarating too, but Sophie couldn't bring herself to enjoy what had happened.

Why would she enjoy it? The kraken had caused extensive damage to _Ithuriel_. The entire side railing was ripped out, as well as the main mast, along with most of the upper deck was left in crumbles. The crew worked hard to repair what they could, but efforts were futile. They did not have enough material on board to fully patch up the ship.

That was not the biggest of their worries though. After the kraken had disappeared, Charlotte had done a head count of those who were aboard. Luckily, no one was seriously injured. Charlotte took to mend those who had suffered minor injuries straight away. But four people. And not just any four. Will, Jem, Cecily, and Tessa.

Poor Tessa. Sophie couldn't help but feel bad for her friend. She had endured so much during this journey, and to top it off, this was just a horrible way to end it. She hadn't even told Tessa what the crew had in store for her, and Sophie was hitting her head over that. At least Tessa was free to not know now.

No one had any idea where they had gone. Clearly they were thrown overboard, and Sophie found it a strange coincidence that of all the people, the four of them were missing. Sophie hoped that they would find them, but in the condition that _Ithuriel_ was in, it seemed impossible.

"I just spoke with Henry," said a voice behind her. Sophie spun around on her feet and saw Gideon Lightwood standing there. He had crept on her so quietly she had no idea he was there. Since Will and Jem, the captain and first mate respectively, were gone, Gideon assumed the natural position of being the leader. He was the boatswain.

Gideon was eyeing her gingerly. His sandy hair was windswept and he hadn't bothered to brush it down. His sea-green eyes watched her wearily, and he was clearly exhausted. They all were. There had been nearly no progress since the kraken left.

"What did Henry say?" Sophie asked.

"He said that we need to get to the nearest port city immediately," Gideon said.

"What about the others that are gone?" Sophie exclaimed. "We can't just leave them out there. They need us!"

"I know," Gideon said, rubbing his temples tiredly. "It's just we can't look for them in a broken ship. She can barely move herself, and if we fix her up soon, then we can find them with much more ease."

"How far is the closest city then?" Sophie said. So there may be hope then.

"Tortuga was the last we knew of," Gideon said grimly. "Though Henry said his Sensor picked up some other place that's close by."

"And do you think he's right?" Sophie asked dubiously.

"Yes," Gideon said firmly. "I mean, the Sensor proved right with the kraken right?"

Sophie nodded.

"Well," Gideon continued. "Then it could be right again. Henry may seem absentminded, but he's a smart man and I have faith in him. I just hope we hurry along."

Gideon sighed and came towards Sophie, standing next to her at the rail, looking out into the vast ocean. Hesitantly, Sophie reached out to his hand. And to her surprise, he didn't back away.

* * *

"This is useless!" Will cried out. "We've been walking around this damn jungle for hours and we still haven't found anything. I swear we're going in circles."

"Ugh," Tessa grunted. "There's nothing here but stupid trees." It was true. The trees still encircled them, and Tessa swore they were getting thicker and closer together.

"What was Jem thinking?" Will said. "There's no shelter here. We may as well just sleep on the beach then. Who put him in charge?"

"You did," Tessa said in irritation. "Because you didn't want to be leader."

"Fine, fine," Will said. "What do you say that we turn back to the beach?"

"It sounds like our only option," Tessa agreed. Then, something glistened in the corner of her eye.

"What is it, Tessa? Will said, sensing her hesitation.

"I see something over there," Tessa pointed straight ahead.

"Oh yeah, I see it," Will squinted his head and looked in the direction Tessa was pointing out. It was something light. "Let's go check it out."

They walked in that direction. As they neared, Tessa noticed that it was not a light, but rather a patch. A patch of some tall grass in the middle of the jungle. It seemed very random.

"What do you reckon it means?" Will said, turning around. The patch was completely surrounded by trees, like the rest of the jungle, but was receiving direct sunlight.

"I have no idea," Tessa muttered, still in awe by this place.

_Crunch_.

"What was that?" Tessa said in a panic.

"I don't know," Will said, placing a hand on the hilt of his sword.

_Crunch. Crunch. Crunch._

"It sounds like footsteps," Will whispered. "Someone is coming for us."

And sure enough, a man emerged from behind the tree. He was tall with tanned skin and markings all over his skin. The only garment of clothing was a piece of cloth draped around his waste.

"Hello there," Will said happily. "If you could please step aside, then my companion and I will be on our merry way."

"No," grunted the man.

"No?" Will repeated.

"No," the man said again grumpily.

Even Will seemed nervous. He grabbed for Tessa's hand, who took it. He gave her a reassuring squeeze.

Then, from around them more men and women appeared. They all bore similar markings and were wearing the same type of clothes. And with them, bound by ropes, were Jem and Cecily. They seemed unharmed, though, but purely terrified. Will took notice of them, and pulled out his sword.

"What did you do to them?" he threatened the man before them.

"Will," Tessa hissed. "Be careful." She looked at the man again and saw something she didn't see the first time. Around his neck was a necklace. And not just any necklace. One that appeared to be made of fingers and toes. Human fingers and toes.

Will followed Tessa's gaze, and his eyes widened in horror. "Are they –?"

"Cannibals," Tessa said breathlessly.

* * *

**Sorry to keep teasing you guys with the Wessa! I just love playing with you guys *grins evilly*. But there's still more to come! Oh, and I made this chapter extra long to make up for the short past two chapters.**

**So I be you weren't expecting that ending? Muhahaha. Guess you'll have to find out for the next chapter what happens. These poor characters never get a break. Especially Tessa.**

**Review! Favorite! Follow! Just keep being your amazing selves :D**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	14. Twist of Fate

**Angelicangel: Haha sorry! Yeah no Jecily in this story :/ They're just friends in this. Anyways, enjoy this chapter! Hope it's not too much torture :P**

**Vialovesbooks: I guess it's similar… you'll see in this chapter. I'm not saying when the Wessa moment will come… you'll just have to wait and see.**

**millisiana: Yay! That's what I want everyone to feel :) I hope this chapter makes up!**

**nicoleherondale: Sorry! It'll happen, but later. But maybe the cannibals do like Will... guess you'll find out soon!**

**The-Finale-Hope: Sorry! Wow I keep saying that to everyone haha. Lol I wish I was teaming up with Rick... that would be a dream.**

**Silvah and Black: Ahhh that would be ideal. I want my own Will!**

**Guest: you know that's what they were fishin ;)**

**JillHerondale: Hi there! Yes cannibals! More thrill! Hehe I just love being evil. No you're English is not bad at all! Glad you liked the chapter! Wow it gets hot in Sweden? I wouldn't have expected that. Eep and 12 hours of being in a car sounds painful D: Enjoy your vacation though!**

**Personorwhatever: Aren't you? I really want to build it up. Well, guess you'll find out now!**

* * *

"Where do you think they're taking us?" Cecily whispered to Tessa as they trudged along through the jungle.

"You, be quiet," spoke one of the cannibals, jabbing Cecily in the back with the blunt end of his spear. Cecily threw him a menacing glare and rubbed her back. She looked back at Tessa, who only shrugged, not wanting to risk speaking up.

They were going who knows where on the island. After the cannibals had surrounded them, they started marching them towards some general direction. Men and women flanked Tessa, Jem, and Cecily from all sides to ensure they had no way to escape. Oddly enough, they allowed Will to be in the front with the leader. Why Will was so special, Tessa had no idea and even he was seemingly confused.

Jem walked right next to her, and was perfectly quiet. Of course he would be one to abide to the commands of these brutal men. Actually, come to think of it, he hadn't uttered a single word since their capture. It was almost like he wasn't there.

They kept on going forwards. Tessa couldn't even tell what time of day it was, but it certainly was getting darker. Whether if it was the time of day or that the trees were getting closer together, Tessa couldn't really tell.

Then, out in the distance, Tessa saw an opening. As they neared it, she noticed that it was another grassy patch, but this one was much bigger than the one she and Will found each other in earlier.

They stepped onto the grass, and Tessa felt the smooth ground beneath her feet, rather than the crunchy groundcover in the jungle. She glanced up at the sky, which was a mix of red and purple hues; it was nearly nighttime. She then looked around and saw that in the corner of the patch, there was tents set up. This must be the place where the cannibals lived. Tessa realized with a pang that is must have been lonely here. It made sense that these men were so grouchy and desperate to eat. Even though they were dinner.

"Wait," the chief commanded them abruptly. He brought Will forward, who gave them a hopeful look over his shoulder as he strolled away with the chief. It didn't look like Will had much of an option.

So Tessa, Jem, and Cecily waited. There were other men around them to make sure they didn't step out of line. Tessa's stomach rumbled and she placed her hand atop it. She hadn't eaten in so long… she had lost complete track of the time. And she certainly wasn't going to eat in this dreadful place.

"So what do you reckon they have in store for us?" Cecily said in a low voice. There was enough noise and movement around the camp, and the guards around them were far enough to not hear what they were saying.

Jem shrugged. "We are definitely not the guests to this party."

"Ugh," Tessa groaned as she watched the men and women start a huge fire in the center of the camp. "I can see this not ending well at all."

"You can say that again," Cecily agreed. "We're absolutely not going to see the end of this. I guess this is goodbye."

"Don't be ridiculous Cecily," Jem scolded her. "We have to get out of this."

"Oh yeah?" Cecily challenged. "How do you think we're going to do that?"

"No idea," Jem said nonchalantly. "Tessa?"

"Why do I have to come up with the plans? I don't even know what the hell is going on," Tessa said in irritation.

The chief stalked towards them, holding three wooden poles and a whole coil of rope. He tossed them to the guards.

"You know what to do," he instructed the guards in his thickly accented voice.

One of the guards hit Tessa squarely on the small of her back, and she fell painfully to her knees. She looked to the side and saw the same happened to Jem and Cecily. Before she knew it, she was facing up at the stars, her hands and feet above her bound tightly to the pole. The men lifted the stick, and Tessa's head dangling just an inch above the ground. This had to be the most uncomfortable position ever.

They marched forward, each step being even more painful than the next. Tessa was scared that her head was going to bang against the ground. They then hoisted the pole and situated it atop some sort of apparatus. She felt a wave of heat hit her face and heard the cackling fire beside her.

Tessa lifted her head to see Will sitting down on something. He was staring straight at her with a look of intent worry. At least he cared. But that wasn't the only thing that caught her eye.

He was sitting on a throne of some sorts, leaning forward. It must have been the chief's throne. It wasn't just any throne of that matter. It was constructed entirely from human thrones. Will appeared to be incredibly awkward.

The chief emerged next to Will and started shouting out words. Unfortunately, Tessa couldn't hear him above the popping fire. She glanced to her two sides and saw Jem and Cecily, also in the same position, were struggling to discern what he was saying. The chief was finished with his speech, and Will had visibly paled.

"Will!" shouted Cecily. This time, no one shut her up. "William Herondale! What the hell is going on?"

Will glanced at the chief, who nodded encouragingly. Then, he took a deep breath and said, "these men here have explained to me the legend. The legend of the blue-eyed deity who is supposed to be their savior." Tessa understood immediately what this meant. "And this is feast for his honor. And the three of you will be the meal."

* * *

Sure enough, Henry's Sensor was correct. There was a port city that was close by, though Henry's maps and calculations. _Ithuriel_ straggled along the calm seas and was easily able to dock upon arrival to the city.

"I'll just be going," Henry said cheerily. "Chop chop. We need to fix up the boat as fast as possible."

"Hold on there," Gideon said, blocking Henry from the gangway. "You're not going alone."

"I'm not?" Henry said in puzzlement.

"No," Gideon shook his head. To tell the truth, he was a little nervous about absent-minded Henry Branwell meandering around this city they had never known to exist by himself. "I am acting captain right now, so I will accompany you."

"Oh good!" Henry beamed at Gideon, his red hair wild and his hazel eyes alight with joy. "The more the merrier, eh?"

"Can I come with," Sophie piped in. Gideon turned to face her. She was looking as beautiful as ever, her dark brown hair blowing in the wind and her dark eyes peering up at him expectantly.

"We don't know where we are," Gideon said, wary of this place. "And I don't want there to be any risks. Henry and I will go alone, and we'll try and be as quick as we can."

"Very well," Sophie said with disappointment.

"I'll be fast. I promise," Gideon said. Without thinking twice, he kissed Sophie on the cheek and followed Henry.

They made their way down the gangway and into the city, which was a small one of that. It almost completely deserted.

"Oi!" yelled a man to their right. Henry gestured for Gideon to come along. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Oh, well," Henry started, looking flustered. "You see, my ship here is pretty heavily damaged, and we were hoping to get it repaired. We have the money to pay for it."

"Hmmm," said the man, and then he eyed _Ithuriel_. "It will take a few days to fix."

"A few days?" exclaimed Gideon. "We need it to be as good as new as soon as possible. Tomorrow if preferable. We're in an awful hurry."

"What you need to learn is patience," the man said sternly.

"But we needed now," Henry said worriedly.

"Then no can do," the man said defiantly, and then stalked away from them.

"Well, that went well," Gideon said dejectedly.

"Are you looking to mend that ship?" said a voice behind them. Gideon and Henry whirled around to see a man standing before them, smoking what seemed to be a pipe. He was tall and lean with jet black hair and tanned skin. But that wasn't what made them stair. He had cat-like eyes, that were watching them cautiously.

"Excuse me," Gideon cleared his voice. "And you are?"  
"You can call me Bane," he smirked. "So you're saying you want to fix that ship?"

"Yes!" Henry said excitedly. "You see, we were attacked by a kraken and – "

"I don't need to hear your sob story," Bane interrupted with a wave of his hand. "So you need it done by tomorrow at the latest?"

"If that's even possible," Gideon sighed.

"I can have it done by tonight," Bane said, as if it were a piece of cake.

"How?" Gideon and Henry said simultaneously.

"Magic," Bane grinned.

* * *

Tessa stared at Will at horror, unable to wrap her head around what was happening. She could barely register the shouts that Cecily was cried out to her brother. Jem, was abnormally still beside her.

"Will Herondale!" Cecily screamed. "What the hell do you think you're doing? We can't be your dinner! We're more than family, and you know that."

"We do as the chief commands," Will simply said, looking sick.

"Will, you free us at once!" Cecily shrieked.

"Shut up, you stupid girl," one of the cannibals said, stepping forward and poking Cecily hard in the side with the other end of his spear. Cecily fell silent at once.

The chief turned his attention to Will and began whispering words again. If even possible, Will seemed even more ill and hopeless at the same time. Tessa couldn't help but feel the same. She never thought she would meet her end like this. This was even worse than the kraken, being roasted alive. This adventure just seemed to get more awful by the minute. Tessa knew she was doomed.

At that moment, Tessa wished she were back home at her palace in Idris. Even though she wasn't given much freedom, she still could seek refuge buried behind a pile of books and getting lost in those worlds. Never did she imagine that those worlds would come to life, like it did now.

Will looked up, the fire reflected in his dark eyes. "The chief says I must make the first kill. And he has already decided who it would be."

Will rose from the bone throne and sauntered towards Jem, Tessa, and Cecily. Tessa's heart pounded through her chest in anxiety. Surely Will wouldn't kill them. He was her friend, maybe even more.

He approached them from the side. He walked right past Cecily and stopped before Tessa. Tessa gulped long and hard and strained her neck to see Will gazing downward at her. To her surprise, he was grinning. He bent down towards her, unveiling his sword.

"Let's get out of here, shall we?" Will whispered into her ear. It was almost intimate.

Then, in a flash, Will flicked one of the stakes that was implanted in the fire straight towards the bone throne with the hilt of his sword. A perfect shot. It landed right on the throne and set it ablaze. The fire then spread, lighting the ground and nearby tents on fire.

Screams filled the air. Men and women rushed around trying to put out the flames, but were unsuccessful. Will turned his attention back to Tessa. With two clean cuts, he was able to release Tessa from her bonds. Tessa fell backwards, landing excruciatingly on her back. Will reached a hand out to her, and she took it, helping her up on her feet. Without thinking, Tessa threw her arms around Will, pulling him into a tight embrace, which he reciprocated.

"Thank you," she muttered to him.

Will ruffled her hair. "Now why would I leave you that way? Hurry and free Cecily. I'll take care of Jem. I bought us just enough time to escape."

He let go of Tessa, and she didn't need to be told twice. Tessa unsheathed Needle, which was still attached to her belt, and freed Cecily, though with not as much ease as Will.

"Thanks Tessa," Cecily said, rubbing her wrists. "I thought we would never get out of that."

"Neither did I," Tessa said hurriedly, turning to see Will and Jem on their feet. "We best be going."

Will nodded and broke out into a sprint away from the burning camp, Jem, Cecily, and Tessa behind him. Tessa glanced over her shoulder to see the cannibals still actively engaging with diminishing the flames. To her shock, they hadn't noticed them missing, but she shouldn't dwell on that. They would discover that they were gone sooner than later. Will led them back to the jungle, and they vanished from view from the cannibals.

It didn't help that it was nighttime. The trees were thick, and the darkness made it hard to skirt around them. Still, the four of them were somewhat successful, ramming into trees here and there but for the most part staying intact. It was quiet where they were. The only sound was their feet scurrying along, trying to get as far away from the camp.

Shouts and screams filled the air. Tessa felt another wave of panic.

"They must have found us missing," Will said in exasperation.

"Where are we going?" Cecily asked.

"I don't know!" Will shouted. "Must you keep asking questions that none of us have answers to?"

Cecily shut her mouth and the four of them kept going. The noise wasn't getting louder nor softer, but they continued their pace. A sloshing sound soon started picking up.

"Do you hear that?" Jem said.

"It must be the ocean," Will said firmly, and hastened them ahead.

The trees cleared around, and there was a beach before them. But not the white sandy beach that Tessa and the others had landed on. No, this one was filled with sharp rocks.

"Now what do we do?" Cecily said in fear. "Time is running out."

"Over there!" Tessa said, pointing to a huge boulder on the side.

"It looks like we don't have a choice," Will said grimly. They ran to the boulder, but as they got closer, they noticed it wasn't a boulder, but rather the side of a cave. There were no sharp rocks around it, but rather dark sand.

Will went in first, and Tessa was right behind him. Moonlight reflected on the water, illuminating the cave. Will stopped in his tracks, and Tessa nearly bumped into him. She followed his gaze to see what was there.

A ship.

"What in the name of the angel?" Jem breathed next to Tessa. Tessa could only stare at it in awe.

"I say we explore this place," Will said.

"Are you mad?" Cecily said, smacking her brother on the head.

"Ow!" Will yelled. "That hurt Cecy. Please, don't damage my beautiful head."

"Your damaging my beautiful eyes," Cecily rolled her eyes.

"I'm with Will," Jem said.

"Thank you, I always knew you would stand beside me James," Will smiled at Jem. "And you Tessa?"

Tessa shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt. Plus, it puts us further away and in a better hiding place from those monsters out there."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Will grinned at her.

"Really you guys?" Cecily shook her head. "Fine, but if anything happens, I am blaming you three."

Will edged around the side of the boat and found a gangway. He stomped up it with the others following suit. Sure enough, there were no signs of life aboard.

"Oh look, there's no one here," Cecily squealed.

"Come on," Will said in irritation.

They walked around, and the floorboards creaked beneath their weight. It seemed like no one had been there for years. Whatever the fate of these poor people who had once sailed on this ship, Tessa would never know. Would the same thing happen to them? Tessa shuddered at the thought.

"Over here," Will announced to them. He was standing by a door, and Tessa and the others rushed over to him. "Must have been the captain's quarters."

Will gingerly placed his hand on the knob and carefully pushed on the door. It swung open, welcoming them with a blast of dust in their faces. Tessa felt her lungs fill with dust and coughed it out, the others doing the same.

When the dust cleared, Tessa could easily see inside. If it was the captain's quarters, it was bigger than Will's. But that was not what caught her attention. There was a table in the center with about ten chairs. And sitting in the chairs were skeletons.

And not just any people. Pirates. At the head was presumably the captain, with a large pirate's hat and an eye patch. Tessa glanced over to Will, who seemed unfazed. He was focused on what was on the center of the table: a treasure chest.

Will scooted around the chairs and made his way towards the chest. He seemed unaffected by the ten dead pirates that surrounded him. He reached for the chest, making sure not to touch the skeletons.

"Um Will," Tessa said. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" She wasn't sure why, but this place gave off bad vibes.

"I'm with Tessa on this," Cecily said, her voice wavering.

"Why are you such girls?" Will said.

"Hey don't insult us," Tessa scolded him.

"Yeah," Cecily nodded her head. "And like I said, if anything happens, I am blaming you."

"Very well," Will said, who didn't mind this threat at all. Slowly but surely, he opened up the chest, which flipped up with ease. The four of them crowded around it to see it was filled with sparkling golden coins.

"Oooh, they're so pretty," Cecily said with awe. Tessa thought so too, but there was still something off-putting about this whole place and the atmosphere. Will extended his arm and reached for one of the coins.

"No Will, don't!" Tessa shouted. But it was too late.

_ BAM._

The moment Will touched the coin, there was a big explosion. And the skeletons jumped to life.

"Yeah, I blame you," Cecily said.

* * *

**I'M SO ANGRY. The Internet literally died right before I was going to post this, and it took forever to figure out how to boot it up. It didn't help that it was 4 in the morning too…. Gah just my luck. And it took me 45 minutes to fix. At least it's back and working.**

**I'm too angry to say anything more.**

**Bleh.**

**Please review, favorite, follow to make me happy. And also to find out how they escape.**


	15. Escape from Skull Island

***IMPORTANT A/N AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER!***

**Now on with the review responses:**

**nicoleherondale: Haha silly Will! Sometimes he doesn't think straight, huh? Sorry about the Wessa! It's just way too much fun.**

**CookiesHerondale: Yay for ships! Awww that's funny! I don't have any siblings, so I can't really relate :/**

**The-Finale-Hope: Sorry! I just love plot twists, don't you? :D **

** .Nancy: Lol that's good! Enjoy this one :)**

**Personorwhatever: Oh Will. He's helpless, isn't he? Thanks! Glad to know that :)**

**Guest: Meow?**

**Silva and Black: Feel free to freak out! It's a safe zone here. Ooooh boy, I enjoy cliffies like no others. **

**AREYOUBLEEPINGME: Your review is disheartening and rude, even though I have credited Pirates of the Caribbean before. So don't say I copied if, especially when this shows that you haven't read what I wrote before. I directly addressed your rude comment in the A/N below.**

**iloveyourstories: Jem will fall for Tessa somewhat, but it's primarily Wessa.**

**TessaElsaHerondale: Oooh another long one! Finland sounds great! I've never been to either places :( I hope to one day though! Yay Wi-Fi! Such a savior, huh? LOL Will in a superhero suit. That's hilarious! That's like imagining him in a dress :P I felt it was fitting to switch. I love keeping the suspense up! But you caught on with Magnus. Same person, he's just being Magnus and decides to have two names haha. Anyways, enjoy this!**

**millisiana: Lol glad to know that! I just love throwing that at people hehe. Oh yeah, I guess I didn't specify, but it should have been blue-eyed deity meaning a man. I'll go change that. That's why they didn't take Cecily away. So yeah. Oh no not more Internet problems! They're such a pain, right? Anyways, enjoy! **

* * *

Tessa screamed as the skeletons begun to approach her and the others. They backed towards the corner as the skeletons vanquished swords they didn't even realize where there before.

"This way," Will signaled them towards the door they had once entered. The skulls of the skeletons looked even angrier, if that was even possible. Will ushered them through the deck and onto the main deck.

"I told you they were booby-trapped!" exclaimed Cecily as the four of them scrambled onto the deck.

"They're not booby-trapped Cecy!" shouted Will. "They're obviously cursed!"  
"I know that,' Cecily snapped. "But looked at the gangway."

The gangway they had once entered on was completely blown away. This must have been the explosion that they had heard when Will had touched the treasure, and there was no means of getting off this wretched ship. Or so Tessa thought, at the moment.

"Ah, your sister does have a point William," Jem mused.

"No time for this James!" Will yelled. "Look!" He pointed towards the captain's quarters.

And sure enough the ten skeletons emerged, growling in the most inhuman way. Tessa wished at that moment she could kill them with one swift sword movement, but knew that efforts were futile. These skeletons seemed invincible, even to Will and Jem who were very adept at sword-fighting, and the fact that they were already dead didn't help.

"Come on," growled Cecily and shuffled over to the edge of the boat, where the gangway had been. She leaned over the rail and positioned herself as if she was going to dive straight into the water.

"What the hell do you think you're doing," Will panted, running behind his sister.

"Improvising!" Cecily shouted over the roars of the skeletons. And then, suddenly, she dove over the edge and smoothly hit the water, making barely a splash.

Tessa gasped, rushing over to see Cecily grinning up at them. "It's alright!" she yelled at them.

"Stupid girl," Will muttered. Jem gave him a crooked smile and followed Cecily's motions.

Will turned to Tessa and shrugged; she figured they had nothing to lose. He jumped right in, though with a twinge of reluctance. Tessa turned around and saw that the skeletons were no more than ten feet away from her. They gave her a menacing glare, and Tessa did not wait another second. She hurled herself right from the rail and landed feet first into the water, going completely under. A pair of rough hands pulled her up and she was face to face with a pair of dark blue eyes.

"It's alright," Will said into her ears. "I got you."

"I don't need your help," Tessa glared at him. Will did not let go and pulled her to shore where Cecily and Jem were wringing themselves out.

"They sure seem angry," Cecily said, glancing up at the abandoned ship. Sure enough, the ten skeletons were leaning against the edge, raising their broken swords and growling at them in fury.

"Do you think they can swim?" Tessa asked. Then, one by one, the skeletons plopped into the water.

"Does that answer your question?" Will said rhetorically, then ran towards the entrance of the cave, the others right behind him. As they neared the opening, they begun to hear shouting in the distance, but didn't sound inhuman nor did it reverberate around the cave. Instead it was coming from the outside.

Will peered around the edge of the rock and inhaled violently. "Oh shit."

"What is it?" Tessa said and pushed around to see where he was looking. Out in the distance, the cannibals that they had just escaped were dashing towards the cave, looking furious. They vanquished the weapons and pointed them straight ahead.

"How the hell did they find us?" Cecily whispered in confusion.

"I have no idea, but we have other things to worry about," Will said, gesturing behind them. The skeletons were now straggling onto the shore in the cave and were heading to them, even more enraged.

"Will, what are we going to do?" Cecily said frantically.

Will looked around, and Tessa followed his gaze. To the right, the skeletons were stomping towards them. From the left, the cannibals were nearing the cave. And in front of them was just water, and who knew how deep it was and how long they could last. It seemed they had no options.

There was another roar, and they were surrounded. The cannibals looked hungrily upon them, as the skeletons sharpened their swords, preparing for the kill.

"I guess this is goodbye," Will said helplessly. Hesitantly, he searched around for Tessa's hand, and when he found it, he gave it a quick squeeze. Tessa felt her heart flutter uselessly inside her, and took a deep breath, knowing this was her last. Cecily and Jem looked just as disparaged as her, as there was nothing left to do.

Then, Tessa felt a pulse at her collarbone. She glanced down to see her clockwork angel necklace glowing in the darkness of the cave. As it beat rapidly, it begun to flutter upwards, and if Tessa's eyes were not deceiving her, it was growing in size. Her angel broke free from her neck and was bigger than the lot of them, emitting a blinding glow. The cannibals and skeletons begun to retreat away from Tessa's angel, as if they were afraid of it.

"Woah," Cecily breathed beside Tessa.

"Come," said the angel in an ethereal voice. Before they could react, it scooped them up in a blink of an eye and sped away from the cave and their would have been deaths.

* * *

The angel didn't say a word as it chugged them along the sea. Much to Tessa's surprise, they hadn't gotten an ounce of water on them. Everyone else was still in a state of shock that no one said anything.

Then, the angel abruptly stopped at a set of rocks lying right in the middle of the ocean. It set the four of them on top of the rocks and instantly diminished in size, once again becoming Tessa's clockwork angel necklace. She gingerly picked it up and examined it. It looked like how it had before. No wonder Hyacinth instructed Tessa to hold onto it.

"Tessa, how?" Jem said in wonder.

Tessa shook her head, still in awe. "I have no idea."

"Tess, you saved our lives," Will said, staring at her in utter amazement and admiration.

"It wasn't me," Tessa said. "It was my angel." She put the necklace around her neck and felt the familiar weight of the pendant lying beneath her collarbone.

"I hate to kill the vibe," Cecily said grimly. "But where exactly are we?"

She had a point. Tessa hated this, ending up in some place they were not aware of. But at least they were safe from the dangers they encountered before.

"You are at the place when strangers need help the most," said a voice. They whirled around, but didn't see anyone there.

"Down there!" Cecily said, indicating to the water. Tessa peered down and saw a women half submerged in the ocean. She was beautiful, with long silvery blonde hair that disappeared beneath the water and startling emerald eyes. She lifted her legs up, but Tessa saw not legs, but fins instead. Red colored fins complete with a tail.

"You're a mermaid!" Tessa gasped. She looked over at Will and Jem, who were ogling the mermaid. Tessa felt a twinge of jealousy rip through her, but brushed it away.

"My name is Camille," the mermaid said, smiling sweetly at them.

"And what can you do for us, milady?" Will said, still eyeing her intently.

"So you're Heron the Great," Camille mused. She had a certain bored underlying tone. "I've heard all about you."

"Have you?" Will said, his voice thick. Tessa was tempted to roll her eyes, but resisted herself from doing so.

"Oh yes," Camille said, her eyes alight. "I'm fully aware of your strength and bravery. Many of my kind revere you and always wanted to meet you."

"So what are we doing here?" Tessa cut in, before Will could say anymore. Camille turned her attention to Tessa and stared at her lazily with an indifferent expression.

"You're Theresa Gray," Camille drawled, and went on before Tessa could reply. "Oh yes, you are well known throughout the seas princess. So what do I owe the pleasure to four powerful people like yourselves?"

"What do you mean?" Jem said, speaking for the first time.

"Men often land on these rocks when they are in great need for something," Camille explained. "And though I often require a price, I will happily do it for free for you lot." She stared right at Will. "You all came from Skull Island."

"Skull Island?" Jem said, raising his eyebrows. "I've heard of it."

Camille nodded her head. "Yes, it's often where sailors and pirates disappear in. I'm impressed that you made it off alive. Though, you did have some help." She eyed Tessa's necklace, and Tessa's hand flew protectively over it.

"We want to get back to our ship," Cecily said fiercely.

"_Ithuriel _is it?" Camille said, her attention turned back to Will. "That I can do. Wait here." She splashed into the water and vanished from view.

"Where do you think she's going?" Jem asked.

"I dunno," Cecily said, and at that moment, Camille reemerged, lugging a small boat with her. It seemed to have just enough room for them.

"Get in," Camille urged them. They filed in one by one. It was especially cramped for Will and Jem, whose legs were far too long and had to hold them in. Camille gave the boat a light push and steered it away from the rocks.

They were quiet for the whole ride, much too exhausted to say anything. Even Will, who appeared like he wanted to talk, remained silent. Camille guided the boat in a particular direction… she clearly knew where they were going.

Then, Tessa saw it. It was nearly dawn, the sun rising before them. And there was _Ithuriel_, standing tall and proud. Tessa swore that part of the ship was damaged by the kraken attack, but it looked as good as new, and even better.

Camille slowed the boat down and let it float alongside _Ithuriel_. "Well, here we are."

"Thank you," Will said, and for once he wasn't looking at Camille, but at his ship instead.

"Goodbye. We shall meet again," said Camille, and then she splashed away, her red fin flipping in the air.

"And we're finally home," Will grinned. Tessa could only agree with him.

* * *

**So, if some of you noticed, it took me longer than my usual every other day to update this chapter. And there is a couple of reasons for that. The main one I want to address is a specific review that I had received, and I'm sure others have had these thoughts before. The particular reviewer accused me of "stealing" ideas from Pirates of the Caribbean, and this is the second one that I have gotten. I was disappointed by the first one that I had gotten, and this one just made me purely angry. This was because I had _clearly_ disclaimed in the beginning of the fic that I would be borrowing elements from Pirates of the Caribbean and that I owned nothing. It's really frustrating to be accused of something that I didn't mean to do, even though I had said in the beginning, and even throughout the course of this fic, that I would be taking some ideas. So yes, reviewer, I manned up and gave credit to POTC.**

**This leads me to my next point: originality. Majority of stories these days, or even throughout history, are built up from previous ideas. Hunger Games was taken from the Greek myth Theseus and the Minotaur. As we know, Percy Jackson is a direct retelling of many famous Greek myths. The Legend series is based of _Les Miserables_. Game of Thrones was inspired by Lord of the Rings and the War of Roses. The TV show Sherlock literally comes from Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. JK Rowling was inspired from various myths from different cultures to write Harry Potter. I digress. The list goes on and on, but I return to one point: all good works come from some inspiration before, and the authors always admit that they used ideas before. And this is exactly what I did.**

**So the fact that these two reviews really made me angry, as I said before. I had given credit and there was nothing more to do. My rage has now subsided, and that, in combination of the initial few reviews, was why it had taken me a while to compose this chapter. So apologies if it was a shitty chapter. **

**My first thought was to discontinue this fic, though. But then, I spoke with one of my friends, who told me that it is just two reviews, and I have other amazing reviewers who have really pulled me through this. And in addition to that, I realized that as a writer, I must accept criticism. All authors go through this, but still manage to finish their works because there are always those who are faithful to their work. So I thank the rest of you who have endured through this fic and have inspired me to continue. **

**Long story short, no I will not be canceling this fic. I must say, you guys are amazing! I can conjure no words to express my gratitude for sticking by my side and encouraging me to go on with this. But I hope you all understand my spiel on originality, for I felt it was fitting to voice my take on it.**

**On a lighter note, I have an exciting chapter planned for the next! You guys are all in for a treat :)**

**Keep being amazing! Until next time!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	16. Stars

**millisiana: Yeah, the Camille being a mermaid was a last minute choice. Hard for me to picture too. She may come later, or she may not. You'll just have to wait and see :) Yes, I agree with you on those reviews. It is very frustrating, and I'm glad you understand. I'm happy I'm not too! I'm way too much into this fic haha.**

**Morning and Eve: Awww thank you so much! You'll see about Camille later.**

**The elf from Alagesia: Curious, but is your name a reference to Eragon? Anyway, thank you! I'm glad you like it. The idea kind of came to me spontaneously. I had done another fic about knights and medieval times, so it kinda spurred from that. Good to know I have a loyal follower :)**

**nicoleherondale: Good to know! That's how I feel about your fic too :D Ugh don't you really want to do that? It's just so frustrating. Lol you really think Camille is an awesome mermaid? She certainly is complex. Thanks for your kind words!**

**The-Finale-Hope: Yay for no cliffies! Anyways, my thoughts exactly. Why waste their time, right? And your welcome. My friend talked some sense into me, and told me to continue. I had gotten this far anyway. Oooh yes, Will is definitely falling for Tessa, huh? Your predictions were right! Now I couldn't just leave the angel necklace hanging, could I?**

**Arya: Awww thanks! That's what I'm doing from now on. Random, but is your name a GoT reference?**

**Aya28: Ugh so true :/ Thanks!**

**Lawl: Thank you!**

**The most Awesome of all: Thank you! Nate will come later on, though I'm not saying when.**

**TheClockWorkGirl: Yup! I've made up my mind and I'm continuing this. And I'm taking everyone's advice and just ignoring them. Well said!**

**Matilovesbooks: Awww thanks girl! I'm glad to have someone like you at my side and here to support me :) You're much too kind. At this point, I don't think I'll quit. I'm much too dedicated to it. Enjoy this chapter!**

**Personorwhatever: Hmmm, you'll find out later ;) And thanks for understanding, as always. Eep good luck with that!**

**Abbi: Thank you! Glad you like it :)**

**Evil Ducks: Haha nice name. Good to know!**

** .Nancy: Thanks! It really does suck, but I'm learning to get past it. That makes me happy that you like all this :) You'll find out about Wessa very soon.**

**SilverCarstairs: Check your PM!**

* * *

"Tessa!" Sophie exclaimed, pulling Tessa into a choking hug.

"It's nice to see you too, Sophie," Tessa laughed when Sophie finally released her. Behind Sophie stood Gideon, Charlotte, Henry, and even Gabriel, who were all beaming at them.

Once they had reached _Ithuriel _and when Camille had disappeared, it had taken a little while for the members of the crew to spot them all. Sophie had been on the deck… apparently she had awoken early from restless sleep. She instantly saw Will, Tessa, Jem, and Cecily and called the rest of the crew to help hoist them up via an extendable ladder.

So they there were. Apparently, they were gone for a four days, even though it felt like one day to the four of them. Time on the island had passed by incredibly slowly. Tessa didn't even realize how hungry she was until she felt her stomach rumble loudly as Henry helped her onto the ship. Charlotte greeted them with warm bread and soup, which Tessa happily devoured.

Once Sophie released her, Will jumped into telling them the story of what had occurred on the island, with the others chiming in here and there. When he had finished, the others were staring at them with surprised expressions.

"So you're saying you found Skull Island?" Henry asked excitedly.

"Yes," Jem said, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Have you heard of it?" Charlotte turned to her husband, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Of course I have!" Henry exclaimed. "Every sailor has heard of it." Everyone gave Henry a blank stare instead, so he continued, "oh very well. It's just that people who come out of Skull Island are never the same. They're often quite mad actually. It's a miracle that you four came out alive and sane."

"Well, we did have some help," Cecily muttered, secretly eyeing Tessa's clockwork angel necklace.

"What help did you have?" Gideon asked curiously.

"Why don't we have a welcome feast for you all," Sophie chimed in, clearly understanding the meaning behind Tessa's necklace. Tessa was immediately thankful for this.

"That sounds like an excellent idea!" piped Charlotte. She turned to Will and the rest. "What do you say?"

"Good food would be nice," Will smiled at Charlotte.

* * *

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. Tessa was extremely exhausted, and spent most of the day in bed, going in and out of restless sleep. When she wasn't trying to sleep, she was wandering about the ship, trying to avoid any crewmember that would talk to her about her time spent on the island. She wasn't in any mood to discuss such things… that would be saved for another day.

Dinner finally rolled around and Tessa emerged from her room, in a new pair of shirtsleeves and trousers. She had taken a well-deserved bath and felt fully refreshed. After scanning the corridor, she stepped out and walked towards the mess hall. As she neared it, she heard a loud, exuberant chatter coming from the room. She opened the door and saw that every person aboard _Ithuriel_ was scattered about. None of the food was out, though smells were wafting through the adjacent kitchen.

"Tessa!" shouted a voice, and Tessa spotted Sophie waving frantically at her. Tessa hustled over to her friend and saw she was accompanied by Gideon.

"Perfect timing," Sophie said. "They were just about to bring out the food."

And as if on cue, Bridget and Agatha, the two cooks, came bustling in with platters of food. It was stew and bread mainly, but Tessa would take any food at this moment. She dug in, without thinking twice.

"Hungry?" said Gideon, smiling at her.

"Mmmm," Tessa replied, taking in the explosion of flavors in her mouth. "I haven't eaten like this in ages."

"I can't imagine," Gideon said. "It's a wonder how you all endured and survived the island by yourselves."

Tessa shrugged. "Just luck, I guess." She turned back to her food, diligently avoided them.

"So," Sophie started awkwardly. "Does it feel nice to be back?"

"Of course it does," Tessa snapped, and quickly felt guilty. "I'm sorry. So what did you lot do while we were missing?"

"Oh," Sophie said, caught off guard by the sudden change of topic. "Well, the kraken caused significant damage to the ship, and we were able to find a city and get it repaired faster than we expected. Since then, we've been tracing our steps and attempting to find you. If you hadn't found us first, then I dunno what we would have done."

"So true, Sophie," Gideon said, eyeing her sweetly. Tessa wondered what was going on between them, but before he could say anything, there was a clanging of a glass. Everyone looked up and Will was standing before them at one of the tables on the far side. He was grinning at everyone.

"Good," Will said, speaking loudly. "Now that I have your attention, I have some important news to tell you all." Tessa glanced around and saw that Cecily and Jem sat on either side of Will, as usual.

"Just get on with it," Gabriel growled.

Will shot him a death glare, then turned to the rest of the crew. "First off, I would like to thank you all for this wonderful meal. It was delicious and fully satisfying after a tiring few days." He stared directly at Agatha and Bridget, who were glancing shyly away.

Will continued. "Anyway, the more important matter of business. After much contemplation, and consulting my first mate James Carstairs here, I have come to the decision to turn this ship around and head back to Idris. We will do so first thing tomorrow morning and deliver Theresa Gray back where she belongs.

Tessa gasped. The rest of the crew erupted into shouting. She could barely register what they were saying. Why would Will want to go back to Idris? She knew as much that the whole purpose of this voyage was something with her, but she never imagined she would go back home. Home. It felt like eons since she had last seen her kingdom. And a strange ache inside her told her she would miss _Ithuriel_. She wasn't quite sure if she wanted to believe this.

"Silence!" Will bellowed, and everyone instantaneously fell silent. "As I was saying, we shall leave tomorrow. My decision is final, so no questions whatsoever. Now, return to what you were doing before."

Reluctantly, everyone did as they were told. They could not go against their captain. Tessa watched Will suspiciously. Instead of turning back to Jem and Cecily, he stood up and made his way towards the door, slipping out unnoticed.

Tessa hesitated, and quickly scanned around her. No one was paying any attention to her, so she quietly followed him out the door. As she entered the corridor, she saw no trace of Will. Trusting her instincts, she strolled towards the stairs and made ascended them to the main deck.

She glanced around, but still saw no Will. She went towards the captain's quarters, but there was no light inside. She then went to the stern, which was slightly elevated, and still saw no Will. She looked up, the stars blinking in the distance. And then she found him.

He was standing atop the crow's nest on the main mast, which had obviously been replaced after the previous one was destroyed by the kraken. Tessa approached the main mast, craning her neck to see how high it stretched. It was tall, but Tessa was determined and begun to climb up the ladder. She reached the crow's nest, and Will seemed to not have heard her. She went and stood beside him. He was intently gazing up at the stars.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Will mused, not looking at Tessa at all. "I could stare at these stars all night long."

"Hmm," Tessa pondered. She always found stars lovely, but had never paid that much notice to them. They were just another part of nature that came and went to her. She would appreciate them, but stop there and not bother any further.

"My father was always insistent that I memorized the constellations," Will went on. "He told me that they would come in handy one day, especially if I was lost at sea. Sadly, they really haven't. It's all rather a big jumble to me that I will never need."

"All I can identify is the Big Dipper," Tessa said indifferently. "Not that it's very useful."

"It's a start," Will said, sounding slightly amused. He turned to Tessa, and in the night, his midnight eyes looked even darker. "Tell me, Tess, what do you desire?"

"I'm not sure," Tessa said, avoiding Will's intense stare. "That's sort of vague question."

"Then what do you want?" Will pressed on, not taking his eyes off her.

Tessa thought for a minute. "I want to know why you decided to spin this ship around. I am not stupid, Will, and I am not a little girl. I know everyone was hiding the reason why I was aboard this ship, and clearly someone has something planned for me. That much I deduced, and that you were taking me to that person. I knew it couldn't be you too. You have much too kind of heart, even though you have built walls to hide this."

Will opened his mouth to protest, but Tessa continued. She couldn't stop now. "So what happened, Will? This mission was much too important to you, so why the sudden change?"

"Do you remember how I treated you when you were first brought upon this ship?" Will said, to Tessa's surprise.

"Yes," Tessa said miserably. "How could I forget?"

"Looking back, I regret my actions," Will said, gripping the rail tightly, his knuckles turning white. "You didn't deserve to be treated in such a horrible matter. You had done nothing to me, and I had no reason to be cruel. But then I saw who you really were. You were not a dainty princess, but a strong and loyal fighter who only wanted to break free. And in a way, I felt for you."

"Will," Tessa said, confused. "You haven't answered my question."

"You asked why I changed?" He said.

Tessa nodded.

"Let's just say it was more a change of heart than anything," Will said huskily, his voice thick with desire. His face was an inch from hers, and Tessa felt her heartbeat rapidly beat. She was sure Will's mirrored hers. She was suddenly very aware of Will: his angular features, the way his curly black hair fell around him, and his dark blue eyes.

"Will," Tessa exhaled, and then Will closed the gap by swiftly descending his lips upon hers. Tessa froze, as Will seemed unsure, but her by urging his lips against hers. Without thinking twice, Tessa responded, wrapping her arms around his neck, as he placed his hands on her waist and pulled her closer. They stayed like that for a while, fully engaged in each other. Tessa felt a flower in her chest blossom into full bloom, and the aching feeling in her heart disappeared. She was finally free, just by this simple, but passionate touch by Will.

After what seemed like ages, they broke away, breathing heavily. Will rested his forehead against hers and stared at her intensely. "I have wanting to do this almost since the moment I saw you," Will breathed heavily.

"I thought you hated me," Tessa said, laughing shakily.

"That's what you think," Will said hoarsely, then swooped in for another kiss. This one was fiery, and passionate, much like her relationship with Will. It wasn't hesitant like the first one, but more desperate, and Tessa fully responded this time. She knew at this moment that she wanted Will and needed him at her side at all times, no matter what happened.

They finally broke apart. Will smiled at her and said, "It's getting late. We best get going. We have a long journey to go."

Tessa nodded, still stunned by what happened. Will went first down the ladder, and Tessa followed. He held his hand out for her, which she happily took, feeling comforted. He led her back to her quarters, and as they passed the mess hall, they saw that it was completely vacated.

Will stopped in front of her room. "Well I guess this is it," he said, sounding somewhat disappointed. He thought for a minute, then gave her one last kiss. "Good night, Tess."

"Good night Will."

* * *

**And there's your big surprise :)**

**I just wanted to take a minute and personally thank those that have supported me through this fic, especially through the last reviews. You guys are honestly the best! I really don't deserve you. I hope this chapter was enough to express my gratitude. **

**So let's just say I'll leave it at this for the moment. Just revel in the Wessa for the time being.**

**Until next time!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	17. Mutiny

**CookieHerondale: Did you change your name? I realized you don't have an "s" anymore. haha. Anyways, don't apologize at all! That happens sometimes. LOL that's funny! It's just so hard to contain Wessa feels, huh? **

**The Iron Sister: Awww no, don't apologize honey! Things happen. I feel bad when I do the same too. I hope you had a terrific holiday though! But my fanfiction account does the same... it only sends me updates at 7 in the morning, for some bizarre reason :/ Lol edge of your bed. I always read ff in bed.. it's more relaxing for me. Glad to get a reaction out of you though! Oooh, but there is definitely more about Tessa's angel to come in the forthcoming chapters. Oh please, do keep fangirling! That's always the best part about writing Wessa scenes, seeing the readers react. But thank you for your kind and understanding words. You're awesome. And I mean it :)**

**SilverCarstairs: Hehe, I see you need some time to recover from that ;) Wow your quick-fire mode is still quite long. LOL an argument. That would be hella entertaining, eh? Though, we may need to start something separate for that, I would say. As for the rest of your predictions... we'll see if you're correct. For now, my lips are sealed, but lets just say there'll be lots of twists and turns to come. LOL it begins. Oh, it shall begin. Anyways, I hope you had a great holiday! :D**

**Morning and Eve: Thanks! Glad you liked it :)**

**The elf from Alagesia: Thanks! I'm sure everyone was haha. Ahhh me too! It's been so long since I've read that series though, so I barely remember it :/Oh thanks! I love GoT the TV series, and I've read the first book in the series. It's just so damn long though D: I'll get around to finishing the series though... it's much too good to put down. And as for Jessa vs. Wessa, go for Wessa!**

**Guest: Thank you! Enjoy this chapter!**

**The-Finale-Hope: Hehe glad you liked! Yeah poor Will and his sacrifice now :(. Awww thanks. Me too. Enjoy this one!**

**Guest: Thank you!**

**nicoleherondale: Thank you! As always :) Glad you enjoyed every bit of it, especially that special Wessa moment. I felt it was high time that they got some action, right? Ugh I'm so done with these haters. Haters always gonna hate. Seriously though! Clearly some people just don't read carefully. Or, like you said, just way too ignorant. I decided to just let it go though. Hehe Frozen reference. Which I'm listening to now. Anyways, thanks for understanding :) You're also an amazing writer! I love all your stories, and I'm stoked for your new one! And no, your not a major loser! Trust me, I only update this frequently (well not this time around, but otherwise) because I don't have school. But once I start up again, it'll be like once a month. Since it's summer, I try to update every other night. So that means writing the chapter that very night and posting it right when I'm done. What helps is that I brainstorm the story completely, so I have a sense of how many chapters there will be. Then, I break it down from there and brainstorm each chapter. It helps me chug through it. Hope that answers your question!**

**TheClockWorkGirl: TheClockWorkGirl, thank you for your kind words! You're much too sweet :) Hope you like this chapter!**

** .Nancy: Wessa is the best haha.**

**Arya: Ahhh, that would have been my second guess. But yes, that's a fabulous series.**

**Guest: I miss you too girlie! :(**

**Aya28: Awww thanks! I would love to! Feel free to PM me and send it via DocX. :)**

**TheSlytherinAvenger: I see you're using this now ;) Thank you, as always, my dear friend! :D**

**The most Awesome of all: Thanks! Yeah so true. Haters gonna hate.**

**Personorwhatever: Yeah, I like Wessa better too. Twill doesn't sound as sexy lol. Poor Will does have to give her up though :( What our Herondale boys do for love, right? Jem does know about the plan. He's the only other one who does, naturally. But yes, you'll be seeing more of him later. And I have something special planned for Marbas. You'll just have to wait and see :) Or read haha.**

**Miss Rando: Thank you! Yay for Wessa!**

**Artsyparty: Of course I'm going to continue this! I can't leave you hanging here. Here's the next update!**

**Vialovesbooks: Like everyone else haha. But that's exactly what I was hoping for. Thanks! Enjoy this chapter!**

**Wessa shipper: Sorry about that! Guess you'll find out about the Wessa in this chapter!**

* * *

Tessa awoke the next morning to warmth. No not the sort of warmth from blankets and comforters. Tessa glanced down to see two strong arms around her in a comforting sort of way. She glanced over her shoulder to see Will sleeping peacefully beside her, the steady rise and fall of his breath somewhat calming to her.

Wait a minute. She was in bed. With Will Herondale. All alone.

Slowly, but surely, she groggily rubbed her eyes, trying to clear her thoughts. Then, it all began to come back to her.

After Will had bid her goodnight the night before, Tessa had been unable to sleep. She was all giddy and on an emotional high because of what had happened. Had that really occurred? It felt like yesterday that Will hated her, and just like that he seemed to like her, and more than a friend. Though, they had spent an awful amount of time together, and Tessa couldn't deny that she reciprocated his feelings. It felt right.

Even though Tessa was a princess, she had never had such experiences before. Her sheltered life had never exposed her to such things, and her parents had always taught her to repress such emotions. But with Will, she felt the real her begin to unfurl and fully expose herself.

Still electrified and still not even a tad bit tired, Tessa left her quarters. She let her feet carry her wherever they wanted to. And evidently, it was the captain's quarters.

Gingerly, she had knocked on his door. No response. So, Tessa tried again, but this time, a little harder.

"Come in," Will said through the door, though he sounded exhausted. Nervousness had suddenly overcome Tessa. Why was she nervous? It was Will after all. Hastily, Tessa took a deep breath and gently pushed the door open.

What was once the dining room where Will and Tessa had that terrible dinner was now transformed into an office. There was a giant map sprawled across the table, and Will was bent over it, intently studying it. He looked up as Tessa entered, his shoulders relaxing at the sight of her.

"Tess," he exhaled, glancing at her. Despite the fact that he appeared fatigued, there was a spark to his beautiful dark blue eyes. "What brings you here?"

"I couldn't sleep," Tessa said stupidly, wanting to smack herself for that.

"Neither could I," Will smiled sheepishly. "Oh, and could you shut the door?"

Tessa did as she was told, and sauntered over to Will's side. She didn't stand too close, yet not that far. Will didn't seem affected by this. Tessa peered over to see what he was examining, and saw it was a full-scale map of all the seas, lands included.

"What are you doing with that?" Tessa asked curiously.

"Just reviewing it," Will said, turning his attention back to the map.

"Why?" Tessa pressed on.

"Always full of questions, my dear Tess," chuckled Will. "But if you must ask, I'm trying to figure out where exactly we are. I was filled in with some of the details by Henry, but it still really irks me on where the hell we are now. I need to know so I can turn this ship around."

Tessa wasn't quite ready to talk about her imminent return to Idris. So, she decided it was best to change the subject. "Did you find out what happened after we went missing?"

Will nodded. "Apparently _Ithuriel_ landed on some tiny port city needing immediate repairs to what the kraken had damaged. It was supposedly going to take days to fix, but some mysterious magician patched her all up for the crew, and they were off on their merry way."

"And they trusted this magician just like that," Tessa had said skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

Will shrugged. "She seems fine now. It's been a few days since, and we seem totally fine."

"Yeah, I guess," Tessa said, then yawned sleepily.

"Come, it's getting late. We should get some sleep." He kissed her sweetly on her temple, then guided her towards his bed in the back room. Only then did Tessa realize that she had never actually seen his room. As he led her inside, she noticed that it was a lot like the guest room where she was staying in, except slightly smaller. The only difference was that books lined every inch of the floor and were stacked alongside all of the walls. Typical Will.

"Are you going to join me, or what?" Will said cockily. He was already lying down on the bed, staring expectantly at Tessa.

Tessa rolled her eyes in annoyance, and tentatively made her way over to him. She stood at the foot of his bed, unsure of what to do next.

"I'm not going to bite," Will smirked, patting the empty spot beside him. Hesitantly, Tessa took off her boots and laid down next to Will.

"That's better," Will whispered in her ear, tickling her. Immediately, his arms went around her and pulled her closer to him. Tessa tensed up.

"Don't worry, I won't make you do anything if you're not comfortable with it," Will had said. Tessa relaxed, and in no time she was asleep.

And so she was now awake in the same position. Though, now when she looked over at Will, his blue eyes were watching her with extreme focus.

"Good morning," Tessa smiled at him.

"Morning," Will grinned. "Did you sleep alright?"

Tessa nodded, and Will's grin widened.

"They say that damsels in distress often sleep better in my arms," Will said. "Wouldn't you agree with me?"

Tessa's smile faded, and she playfully smacked Will on the side. Will rubbed his side, feigning pain.

"Ouch, that hurt Tess. Right here." Will pointed to his chest. Tessa put her hand there, and felt his steady heart begin to race rapidly.

"Sure it did," Tessa laughed, pecking him on the cheek.

"And now it feels better," Will whispered over to her. She glanced over his shoulder to see that the clock read past eleven. Tessa gasped.

"What is it Tess?" Will said in alarm.

"It's well past eleven in the morning," Tessa informed him. "We best get going before the crew wonders where we are."

Will frowned. "It's a small ship, but I suppose you're right."

He swung his legs around and bent over the edge of his bed to fasten his boots. Tessa did the same. He then got up and exited his quarters, Tessa right behind him. Will reached his hand out to her, and Tessa took it, before he opened the door.

And they were met with chaos.

The entire crew was in total disarray. People were running to and fro about the ship, while someone was shouting orders to anyone who passed. As Tessa and Will walked further into the commotion, she saw that it was none other than Gabriel Lightwood.

"Seize him!" Gabriel yelled. Rough hands tore Will and Tessa apart, and Tessa desperately tried to reach for him, but her efforts were futile.

"Will!" shrieked Tessa.

"Tessa!" Will cried out. He was pinned to the ground by two bulky crewmembers who Tessa never bothered to learn the names of. They never associated themselves with her, so Tessa found it pointless to get to know them. Guess it worked out in the end, as she was also be held down by a bunch of strong hands.

Tessa took this as a chance to look around her surroundings. Will was being held down straight in front of her. On the opposite side of the deck stood Gideon, Charlotte, Henry, and Sophie, all huddled together all scared, and the latter especially frightened. Tessa wished she could run over and comfort Sophie, but knew she was hopeless in doing so.

Then, lying twenty feet away from them were Jem and Cecily. They both were knocked out cold and rendered unconscious. Whoever did this to them, Tessa swore that she would hurt them in the worst way possibly. Pure anger riled inside of her.

"Well, well, well, what have we here? The mighty Heron the Great, brought down at last," mocked Gabriel, as he approached Will. Will tried to stand up to face Gabriel, but was forcefully brought down to his knees. He yelped in pain, and Tessa felt her heart lurch painfully within her.

"I am captain of this ship," Will said meekly. "So I demand you to tell me what is going on here, Lightworm."

"Ah there is no more calling me Lightworm anymore, for I am captain of this bloody ship," Gabriel sneered.

"Don't call her that," Will grunted.

"I can bloody well call her what I like," Gabriel said. "For now I am the acting captain."

"Oh yeah," Will snorted. "Says who? Last I checked, I was the one who earned this ship and has always been the captain. So it shall remain me."

"Well, let's just say everyone on this ship has decided this too," explained Gabriel. "Am I right?"

There was a chorus of agreement towards Gabriel. Even Charlotte, Henry, Gideon, and Sophie chimed in, though they seemed completely hesitant about this. Will caught on.

"Even them?" Will said dejectedly.

"Oh, they left me no choice," Gabriel said, shrugging lazily. "Unless they wanted to end up like your precious James and Cecily." He indicated to where the two were lying unconsciously, unaware of the scene unfolding before them.

"No," Will breathed.

"Yes," Gabriel smiled evilly. "Let's just say that they crossed the line, and look where they ended up. And you will soon be joining them."

"Why are you doing this, Gabriel?" Will said, addressing Gabriel by his first name instead.

"Why?" Gabriel bellowed. "You backed down on your promise, that's why Herondale. You promised all of us a big reward, and then you turn away from it just like that." He snapped his fingers. "And for what? A girl. A stupid, petty, little girl. But obviously, she has some great worth, and we could not back down on that promise. We were so close Herondale. So close. And then you have to go and ruin it all. We have always been your crew and stuck by your side and have gotten nothing out of it. Well, it's time that we finally do."

"That can't be," Will shook his head, though Tessa could tell he was overpowered. "Gabriel, I know I may have been harsh in the past, but everyone was still treated well and received what they wanted. I never meant for it to become like that."

"Tell that to my sister," Gabriel snarled. Sister? Tessa wondered who that might have been.

"Tatiana?" Will said in alarm. "You know that nothing occurred. Please, just – "

"Silence!" Gabriel commanded him. Will fell silent. "You ruined her, Herondale. This Gray girl better not become one of your puppets, just like my sister was. You disgust me."

"But why, Gabriel?" Will went on, ignoring Gabriel's command.

"Ah, let's just say that mutiny is so sweet when best tasted as revenge," Gabriel said menacingly. Will sighed in defeat, and his shoulders slumped.

"Finish him," he instructed to the men holding Will. And with that, the men began hitting Will with all their strength. At first, Will attempted to fight back, but they were too strong, even for Will. He fell to the ground, just a limp form. Tessa wanted with all her might to run over to him and embrace him, but she was held down herself.

"Very good," Gabriel said, fully satisfied. "You know what to do next." The men certainly seemed to, as the scooped Will up and dumped him unceremoniously into one of the lifeboats. They brought Cecily and Jem over, and put them in the same boat, then cut the ropes that held the boat up. With a splash, the boat presumably hit the water and carried Will, Cecily, and Jem to wherever it was destined to.

And Tessa could do nothing this time to bring them back.

"Throw her in the brig, where she belongs!" Gabriel barked at the men holding Tessa. "She deserves to be there until we reach Cadair Idris."

The men hoisted her up and pushed her down back to the prison. They hurried her along until they reached the familiar door that Tessa never wanted to see again. Unfortunately, she had to. Tessa couldn't even say anything before they slammed the door in her face.

Once again, it was entirely dark inside. And Tessa was alone with no one to comfort her this time.

* * *

**Sorry that it took forever to upload this guys! I was out of town for the past couple days, and I didn't get around to writing this until now. So yeah.**

**But 22 reviews for the last chapter? That's phenomenal! You guys are the BEST! No words can stress how much I feel about that. You all receive a basket-full of cookies for that!**

**As for this chapter, I bet y'all weren't expecting this? Just saying, but I know that Gabriel was a bit OOC, but I promise you, it will be explained later on, and it will all just come together in the end.**

**So review, favorite, follow, and all of that! Now, I must curl up in a corner and finish listening to the Frozen soundtrack.**

**Okay, bye!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	18. Old and New Faces

**nicoleherondale: Isn't Gabriel the worst? I felt like portraying him the way he was in CA and CP, so yeah. Hehe oh Wessa. So sweet. Don't we all love them? And no problem about reviewing your story! I love it! You're an amazing writer yourself, and I enjoy reading each and every one of your stories. But back to this story... plot twists are my bitch :P They're just so much fun to throw at readers! Hope you like this chapter! And glad the advice worked :)**

**The-Finale-Hope: Sorry! There just had to be another twist! You know how much I love those ;)**

**Vialovesbooks: Oh, you'll find out. Definitely sooner than later. Hehe enjoy this chapter!**

**CookiesHerondale: Ah, and now it's back. Haha I didn't even make that association! But I assume so. There may or may not be Cebriel, but it's all spoilers now. Sorry not sorry for all this :P**

**guess: Thank you! You'll find out about Sophie in this chapter.**

**millisiana: Go ahead and punch Gabriel! I bet we're all feeling that now. Lol I lost count of the plot twists, but glad to know you're counting! But expect more of Gabriel in this chapter. More backstories galore! And don't apologize for not reviewing! Just glad to know you're still reading :) Ciao to you too!**

**theherondales: Thank you so much! That means a lot :)**

**TessaElsaHerondale: There you are Jill! I was wondering were you disappeared to. And boy, this is a long review! I hope your mood is better! I totally understand you, and sometimes you just want to be alone when things like that happen. I'm happy to know your back though! Anyways, back to your review, this seems to be everyone's reaction to Gabriel. And boy, am I loving it :D. Don't hurt your poor keyboard though! Rage all you like haha. And the Wessa, I had dirty thoughts though ;) Think what you like though... we all feel the same about them! And your fangirling was more than entertaining! Thanks for responding to those hurtful reviews though. Glad to know all of us are on the same page, and there are just some outliers out there. My friend is always the one to talk me into these things... I remember almost abandoning Forbidden Love, and they did the same then. But nevertheless, thank you so much for your kind words. They mean a lot :). Enjoy this chapter!**

**TheClockWorkGirl: YESSSSSSSSSS! Just have to enjoy a good twist here and there, right? ;)**

**Ravenclaw Heronstairs: Thank you so much! And can I just say that I love your name so much? Haha.**

**The most Awesome of all: [insert evil laugh] muahahahaha ;)**

**Evil Ducks: Ooooh you'll find out about Wessa/Will soon!**

**Personorwhatever: Frozen has been my obsession for the last nine months omg it's so bad I need to stop. Yeah I did know that! Anyways, glad you, like everyone else, liked the twist! I was hoping everyone would! And actually, believe it or not, I've never seen the fourth one. I've actually seen the first one a lot, the second one only twice, and the third one once seven years ago D:**

** .Nancy: Eep sorry about that! Oh and you'll find out about Gabriel and Cecily later on haha. It's all spoilers :)**

**Wessa shipper: Glad you liked it! And you'll find out about everything else sooner or later :D**

**TheSlytherinAvenger: Hehe thank you, my friend *returns evil grin***

**Morning and Eve: Hmmm, you'll find out! Haha glad you did!**

**The Iron Sister: Go ahead and slap him! He fully deserves it, don't you think? Edom! I love that :D. But thank you! Your words are much too kind, my friend :). As for your questions, all of them will be answered in due time. It may be this chapter, it may be five chapters ahead, but all eventually. Glad you enjoyed your holiday though! Awww no, your awesome girl! I mean it with all my heart. I love your writing and you have great potential. But in the meantime, enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Tessa twisted and turned in the spot that she was lying down in the cell. It was the very same spot where Will imprisoned her only a couple weeks ago. To think, that so much occurred in those weeks and that her life had taken a serious turn. She never thought she would return to this eternal prison, yet here she was again.

Gabriel's sudden outburst had come has a shock to Tessa. No doubt about it, it had to be even worse for Will. Where were all the signs? Gabriel had always seemed to loathe and display pure hatred towards Will, but enough to fuel the entire crew into a full-scale mutiny? Surely the crew couldn't transform these bitter feelings over one night.

Tessa racked her brains further for what Gabriel said. She understood that he and the crew were angry about Will's unexpected change, even if it was a bit selfish. But in the end, everyone would be loads happier, even if it meant they weren't going to receive the so-called reward.

And what was the deal with Gabriel's sister? He seemed to have directed this towards Will, so what had Will possibly done to her? It couldn't have been much, but Tessa had her doubts. Her presence appeared to have changed Will for the better, but who knows what man he might have been before he met Tessa. She knew that he was Heron the Great, but all the terrible stories she had heard about that notorious pirate were all false and just a cover-up for what a great man William Herondale really was.

Tessa slammed her hand against the hard wall, urging the unspilled tears to pour out. Nothing came. She had way too many questions to ask and no one to answer them for her.

Tessa felt a sharp pang in her chest and realized she achingly missed Will. She had become accustomed to him constantly around her that having him not there was utterly dreadful. She wanted him near her at this very moment; to wrap his strong, muscled arms around her slender frame, whisper sweet nothings in her ear, and entertain her with his wit and humor.

She also missed Jem and Cecily, for they had become her closest friends since coming aboard _Ithuriel_. Growing up and being a sheltered princess, Tessa did not have many friends, besides Sophie.

Sophie. Tessa wondered what she and Gideon had behind this mutiny. Clearly it wasn't their choice… they had to be controlled by Gabriel. She knew that Sophie was tough girl, so hoped to the Angel she would persuade Gabriel otherwise. But now, everything was done for. She could not rely on anyone this time around.

Tessa sunk down against the cold walls hopelessly. And this time around, she knew that no one was going to come for her.

* * *

"I hate this!" shouted Sophie in frustration.

"Me too," Gideon grunted, plopping down on the bed in front of them.

They were in the first mate's quarters, where Jem had previously resided before being kicked off the ship. Gabriel was keeping them in there with two crew members acting as guards to make sure that Gideon and Sophie did not act out of line. They already had, so this was their sort of warning for the time being. Similarly at the stern, Henry and Charlotte were under strict tutelage to make sure they didn't rebel against Gabriel.

And Sophie hated this. She never signed up for this. Furthermore, she never asked to be on this ship. It had been great, to her surprise, until the turn of events that took place that very morning.

"Isn't there a way that you can talk him out of this?" Sophie said, spinning around to face Gideon.

Gideon eyed her thoughtfully. His thick sandy hair hung down below his forehead and was in need of some cutting. His deep sea green eyes looked almost gray in the dim light.

"No," he finally said, heaving a big sigh. "My brother is not one to be persuaded easily, especially due to our somewhat of a rough childhood."

"But everyone comes from some hardships," Sophie argued. "And besides, he's your brother. You're the only one he will listen to. I know it."

Gideon said nothing, and then abruptly stood up and turned to face the window, his back turned to Sophie. The sun was disappearing behind the clouds and the stars began to poke out from beyond the skies, bringing the darkness down.

"My brother is as stubborn as a mule," Gideon said, still not looking at Sophie. She moved to stand beside him, glancing out at the vast ocean. "My father brought him up that way, and no matter how much I persuade him, he will not listen to our pleas."

"What's the worst that can happen?" Sophie pressed on. "He will throw us overboard? I think not. I see the way he looks at you, Gideon, and there is just the slightest bit of affection in his eyes when he addresses you. So please, try and talk to him."

"And what of you, Sophie?" Gideon said, facing her with a surprisingly tender look across his handsome features. Sophie felt her heart give a nervous gallop, but ignored this feeling.

"What of me?" Sophie gulped anxiously.

"I don't want you to get hurt," Gideon said, not unkindly. "I do not want anything awful to happen to you, like it did to Will, Jem, and Cecily. You shall not meet the same fate."

"I won't," Sophie said firmly. Without thinking twice, she stood on her toes and gave Gideon Lightwood a quick kiss on his mouth. Her lips tingled when she drew away, and Gideon looked dazed.

"Very well," Gideon said, and stalked away towards the door. That certainly convinced him, and Sophie chuckled to herself.

* * *

Will opened his eyes to see that he was greeted by a sky full of stars. Was he still in the crow's nest, with Tessa beside him? The boat shook abruptly and violently. This can't be right. _Ithuriel_ was a small ship, but not this sensitive to waves.

Will sat upright and noticed that he certainly wasn't aboard _Ithuriel_. He was inside one of the small boats that was to be used only under dire circumstances. His head begun to throb painfully, and his hand flew up to his temple, trying to soothe it by massaging it. He glanced in front of him, and Cecily and Jem were lying down, slowly beginning to awaken.

And then it came to him. Gabriel's hatred. The terrible mutiny. Tessa's beautiful gray eyes watching him helplessly.

At this moment, he hated Gabriel with a burning. He wanted to turn this damn boat around and return to his ship and beat the living hell out of Gabriel. And more than anything, he wanted to be back with Tessa to comfort her and keep her safe.

"Will?" said a voice, breaking his thoughts. Jem was propped up against the weak wooden boards composed of the life raft. He had a big purpling bruise on the right side of his head. Will felt pain shoot through him in that very same spot on himself, as if he and Jem shared the injury.

"Are you alright?" Will asked the man who was more than his brother, with extreme concern.

Jem gingerly rubbed his injury. "I think so. Where are we?"

"I dunno," Will shrugged helplessly. "Do you know what happened?"

"I haven't got a clue," Jem said grimly.

"That's because you passed out before any of the action happened," grumbled Cecily, who was struggling to hoist herself.

"Then please, enlighten us Cecy," Will said.

"And to think I actually liked him," Cecily murmured more to herself, ignoring her brother.

"You what?!" Will bellowed. "You liked that filthy Lightworm?"

"Please William," Jem rolled his eyes. "You can't deny it. It was pretty obvious."

"Really?" Cecily said, blushing ever so slightly. Will was too angry though, and tried his best to pretend like that didn't happen.

"When we get back, you are never to lay a hand on him, okay?" Will said sternly, eyeing his sister narrowly.

"That is _if_ we get back," Cecily stressed.

"I am acting captain of this boat, naturally," boasted Will, "so we will find a way. No matter what, I need my ship back."

"Whatever you say," Jem said tiredly, knowing it was best not to argue with a determined Will.

"You never did finish your story," Will said, directing himself towards Cecily.

"Very well," Cecily said. "Well, Jem and I were eating in the mess hall when we heard a peculiar raucous echoing from the main deck. We decided to check it out when we say Gabriel ordering the crew around and shouting 'I'm the captain' like a complete maniac. Jem and I tried to interject. When the men tried to attack us from intercepting further, Jem stepped in."

"Ah, so that's how I got this," Jem indicated to his bruise. "I hardly remember anything."

Cecily nodded. "And then his men rounded on me, and that was the last I can recall. I'm assuming you came shortly after."

"Yes, I presume so," Will said. Then he briefly explained the events that transpired between him and Gabriel. Cecily and Jem listened intently, their eyes wide in astonishment.

"Now I really hate him," Cecily said, clenching her fists in rage.

"And even more the reason to find a way to get back to _Ithuriel_," added Jem.

"Glad to have convinced you all," Will winked at them. "But the only problem is how the hell are we going to get back? We have no record of where we are and we can't even steer this stupid boat."

"Land ho!" Jem suddenly burst out. Will and Cecily perked up.

"James, I know you are not one to joke around, but now isn't the time," Will smirked.

Jem narrowed his silvery eyes at Will. "I'm not kidding, William. Look."

Will followed where Jem was pointing, and indeed there were lights sparkling in the distance. Maybe they could possibly find help here. It was at least a start, and Will was starting to feel a tad bit hopeful.

* * *

Gideon took a deep breath, then firmly knocked on the door to the captain's quarters. When he explained to the crewmembers outside the first mate's door that he was going to speak with his brother, they let him out with ease. So here he was, his heart pounding nervously. That was weird, he never got nervous around his brother… but this was a different situation.

"Come in," commanded Gabriel. From the sound of his voice, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

Gideon pushed the door ajar, and entered. The room hadn't changed at all since Will had occupied, though Gideon didn't expect it to. There was barely any time between the change of the two captains.

"Gideon," Gabriel said, sounding mildly surprised. "What brings you here?"

"I want to talk to you," Gideon said.

"You already are," Gabriel grunted in annoyance.

"Do you want me to talk or what?" Gideon said, raising his voice.

"Fine," Gabriel conceded. "Shut the door."

Gideon did as he was told. "Why?"

"Why what?" Gabriel said, looking at a map before him to avoiding eye contact with his brother.

"Why are you doing this?" Gideon reiterated. "This is not like you, Gabe."

"Tell it to father," Gabriel said bitterly.

"Father?" Gideon said in alarm. This was definitely not what he was expecting. "What does father have to do with your mutiny?"

"Everything," Gabriel said.

"Please, enlighten me brother," Gideon said, still confused.

"You don't understand, do you?" Gabriel said, slamming his fists onto the table. "Always living under your shadow why father praised you when I was left in the dark." Benedict Lightwood, Gideon and Gabriel's father, was a prominent man in Idris. He wasn't necessarily a lord, but he was ranked among them and earned the same prestige. Gideon had always hated his father, though.

"When you left, those were supposed to be my glory days," Gabriel continued. "I thought I could redeem myself. But no, father expected more of me then I could possibly give, and it was too much. I was as frustrated as you were, so I too fled and found myself aboard this fateful ship, much like you.

"But then, I remember father in his hushed meetings I was never allowed to attend. I often heard the name Magister uttered, and had never heard that name until I was on this ship. I overheard our Heron the Great mention it to James Carstairs and instantly knew that I had to get involved. Then there was more, the Magister, Cadair Idris, Tessa Gray, they were all intertwined. So then I vowed that no matter how much I loathed the Heron, I needed to stick by his side, to prove to father I was worthy.

"But Will had to go and spoil anything. You've seen the way he looks at Miss Gray, Gideon, and don't deny it. He had to be stopped, and it was easy to convert the dim-witted crew we have here. I held Henry and Charlotte under my reins and you and Sophie were just as easy to control. And here we are now, happily sailing to Cadair Idris."

"Isn't there another way you can prove yourself to father?" Gideon said, not fully convinced.

"No, this is the best way," Gabriel said adamantly. "Now, you have greatly interrupted me. Guards!" The two men outside the captain's place came into the room.

"Kindly take Gideon back to his room, where he belongs," Gabriel instructed them. And without another word, they escorted Gideon out. He knew his efforts were wasted.

* * *

The boat landed at the port with a thud. Will clambered out onto the stone ground, Jem and Cecily right behind him. He had no idea where the hell he was going.

"Um, Will," Jem said. "Where do you think you are going?"

"To cure my vice!" Will said, jutting his finger in the air. "I need to clear my head before we formulate a plan."

"No you don't, William," Cecily said sternly, running to catch up with her brother.

Will ignored her protests and headed straight to a tavern ahead of him, with a sign reading "The Blue Devil". Before Jem and Cecily could stop him, he barged right in.

"Bring me any type of alcohol!" Will announced. "And lots of it. I don't want to remember anything."

"It's Heron the Great!" voices shouted, and Will forgot how easily he could be recognized in places like this.

"Seize him!" yelled more voices.

"Will, we better get out of here," Jem whispered in his ear, appearing beside him, nudging him to leave.

"I'll handle it from here," roared another voice, distinctly male. A pair of rough hands grabbed Will's arms and steered him in the opposite direction towards the exit and pushed him into the cool night air.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" demanded the same voice. Will found himself eye to eye with a pair of cat eyes.

"Who are you?" Will asked suspiciously.

"That doesn't matter," the man brushed away. He stepped away, and Will got a good look at him. He was tall, slightly taller than Will, with jet black hair and tanned skin. And, of course, his uniquely eyes that were catlike. "You're hated in parts like this, Heron the Great. Be grateful that I saved your neck, for I would have wanted you dead."

"Everyone hates me," Will smirked. "I'm just famous that way, and I love it. So what did I do this time? Did I ransack your town and leave it behind in all dust and shadows? Or did I sweep the love of your life away from you like that." He snapped his fingers.

"Don't bother with your foolish antics," the man said irritably. "It won't work on me. And let's just say you stole two people from me."

"Two desirable women?" Will chuckled darkly.

"Two women," the man reiterated. This man was serious, and Will knew he shouldn't further mess with him. And two women meant one thing.

"Tessa and Sophie," Will breathed. And it all clicked. He heard a sharp gasp behind him and nearly forgot that Cecily and Jem were there with him. "You were aboard that ship, weren't you?"

"Unfortunately so, William Herondale," said the man. "I was the first mate, much like your Jem Carstairs here."

"How do you know my name?" Will roared in shock. No one knew is real identity, save for his crew, but news couldn't have reached that rapidly. Jem looked equally stunned.

"I've been around longer than you've expected, and I know many things," the man said nonchalantly.

"You're a warlock," Jem said.

"You sure are a clever one," said the warlock. "But yes, I am one. You asked who I am. I am Magnus Bane."

"I know that name," Will said, racking his brain from where he had heard the name from.

"Did your father happen to mention me?" Magnus said, lifting an eyebrow.

"He did," chimed in Cecily.

"Cecily Herondale," mused Magnus. "My, my. You sure have grown."

"You've seen us before?" Will said.

Magnus nodded. "And your sister Ella. Of course, you were all little things back then. Your father, Edmund, and I go way back. He regards me as an old friend, and someone he keeps in occasional contact with. He would have brought me up into the conversation some time or another."

"So you've knows who I was the whole time?" Will said.

"I make it my business," Magnus said lazily. "Though no worries, your secret is safe with me."

"So why didn't you do anything to stop my men and I when we attacked your ship?" Will said.

"Oh I wasn't there," Magnus said. "I was sleeping and was awoken by this rather dreadful news and myself on a boat. Thank goodness that Nathaniel Gray informed me by what happened."

"Where is he now?" Jem inquired.

Magnus shrugged. "Who knows. My question is why are you all here, and where is Tessa?"

Quickly, Will recounted what occurred, with Cecily and Jem piping in here and there. Magnus listened intently and not once did he interrupt.

"You know, I was the one who repaired your ship," Magnus said. Definitely not the response Will expected.

"Were you?" Will said.

Magnus nodded. "I saw _Ithuriel_ come here, and by fixing it I was hoping to see Tessa. There was no sign of her sadly, but now I know why."

Will, Jem, and Cecily had nothing to say to this.

"So, from what I deduce from your story," Magnus went on, "Tessa is being held captive by Gabriel Lightwood aboard your own ship, and you want to stop him? And they are heading to Cadair Idris?"

"Yes, that's right," Will said. "I will do anything to get her back."

"Ah, how I envy the Herondale charm and determination. You know, your father was the same with your mother," Magnus said thoughtfully. "But I will help you."

"You will?" Will said. That was easier said then done.

"Of course," Magnus said. "And we leave for Cadair Idris tonight."

* * *

**Eh, nothing so eventful here. Kind of a filler chapter, but hey, things need to get done. But at least it was over 3000 words, so a long chappie. Yay!**

**Okay nothing much to say, but to just keep being awesome! Gah I keep using the same phrases... I need to come up with something new.**

**Until the next update!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	19. The Sirens

**Wessa shipper: Thank you! Unfortunately, not much Wessa here because the two are still separated. I do love Cecily and Gabriel, but it's all spoilers for what lies ahead for them ;) And Tatiana may or may not come, but I haven't quite decided.**

**Morning and Eve: Magnus is always the best! *throws glitter in the air***

**Vialovesbooks: Here it is! Hope this is good!**

**nicoleherondale: Yes, yes, yes! Good to know you liked the progress... I wasn't so sure about that so yeah. Ship-sinking. I like that. Maybe I'll add that in later... hmmm. No don't cut me with a needle! Here it is!**

**The-Finale-Hope: Or will it survive? ;) **

**TheClockWorkGirl: Thanks! Here's the next chapter :)**

**Personorwhater: You forgot the "v"! Anyways, isn't Magnus da best? I just had to add that Sideon in... it seemed like the opportune moment. Ouch first period. That's rough, man. Ah, I remember the days of precalc. Have fun with that! Oooh my name. Long story short, I had a different name (a super cheesy one mind you) on this site, and I wanted to change it. My friends and I had a blog for TID/TMI (it's actually on my profile), and I was the Red Queen. So I wanted to use that name, but it was already taken, so I added the "Pale" as a play on who I'm not and yeah. There you have it. **

**The most Awesome of All: You'll find out about Gabriel. Marbas is more of a side villain, but the Magister is the main one. If you have more questions after this chapter, feel free to PM me anytime!**

**The elf from Alagesia: Hi Eliza! Isn't Gabriel such a jerk? I just wanna slap him silly. I just had to bring Magnus back. He's much too fabulous to be left in the dark. But thank you for your kind words! Thank you for reading this :)**

**TheSlytherinAvenger: Thank you! No I have not read those. But it sounds interesting. Maybe I'll check it out! The no fandom things is annoying. I remember when I first started off with TID, it was a lot like that, but now it just took off.**

**TessaElsaHerondale: Hello Jill! I love how you start off that way. It's so friendly :D. Awww thanks. The struggles without wi-fi... I totally get you grrrr. No please do fangirl! I love it. And I just can't stop using plot twists, can I? It's just so much fun to torture you all and fun to write. Thanks a bunch for putting effort into your reviews. It means a lot, and I'm glad I have such a dedicated reader. But you exactly got what I was getting to... small plots all leading to a bigger one. And we have definitely reached the bigger one now. Ahhh Nathaniel Gray, he may or may not show up actually, but it's all spoilers. I'm glad you understand Gabriel's reasons. It was much more plausible to make that with Gabriel than Gideon, you know? But thank you for your kind words again. You're so nice! And do not apologize. I have the same problems too haha. I love long reviews! Keep them up!**

**The Iron Sister: Yeah sorry about the filler :/ This is sort of another one too. But glad you liked Sideon! If I recall correctly, you were asking about it in the beginning of the story, right? I'm too lazy to check haha. But sorry! I just wanted Sideon to be short and sweet, but there may be something more later. Ahhh Magnus... couldn't just leave the fantastic warlock all by himself, eh? As for Nate, my lips are sealed. But thank you! For all your kind words, and coming from an amazing writer like yourself, it means a lot. Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

"So how do you propose we get to Cadair Idris?" Will asked, as Magnus deftly navigated them through the narrow streets of the city. "We don't know where the hell we are, and not to mention that we don't have any means of transportation to get there."

"You don't know what I am, do you?" Magnus said, turning around and wiggling his eyebrows at Will. He spun around and kept pressing them forward. Will glanced over to Jem and Cecily, and Jem just simply shrugged.

"Yes I know you're a warlock," Will said, slightly irritated.

"Precisely," Magnus grinned, his teeth blindingly white in the pale moonlight. He then abruptly stopped at the edge of the docks. Will recognized the tiny boat they had came in floating on the waters below, but it barely could fit three people. There was no way the four of them could squeeze in.

"Uh, what are we doing here?" Cecily said dubiously. "We can't all just pile into that lifeboat."

"Don't tell me what I already know," Magnus scowled. He turned his attention to the water and shut his eyes tightly. He unveiled his hands and begun flourishing them in a rehearsed manner, as if he was summoning something.

"What do you suppose he's doing?" Will whispered to Jem. Jem shot Will a warning glare and placed his finger to his lips, and Will groaned, knowing best not to argue any further.

Out of the corner of his eye, something came hurtling across the water at an alarming speed. As it approached, its pace begun to slow down until it stopped right before them, magically anchored to the depths below. Will took a good look at the boat; it was larger than the lifeboat, but not as big as _Ithuriel_. It had a proper mast and everything, but not necessarily rooms. Nevertheless, it was sufficient for their journey for the time being.

"And this is your ticket to Cadair Idris," Magnus said tiredly, lowering his hands.

"How–?" Cecily began.

"Magic," Magnus finished. Conjuring the boat seemed to drain the energy out of him.

"You can't have just brought that out of thin air," Jem argued in disbelief with the warlock.

"You're right, I can't have," Magnus said. "Now get in quickly if we best get on schedule."

Jem got in first, then helped Cecily in. Magnus followed and Will was about to get in when someone placed a hand on his shoulder and spun him around.

Jessamine.

"Jessie?" Will said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Coming with you of course," Jessamine said matter-of-factly.

"Jessamine?" Jem echoed from behind Will. Will saw that Cecily was just as shocked.

"It's nice to see you too, Jem, Cecily," Jessamine said, though there was slight mockery in her voice.

"You haven't answered my question," Will grunted. "Shouldn't you be back at Blackfriars working the night shift at the Devil's Tavern?"

"Sure," Jessamine said nonchalantly.

"So why are you here?" Will said, spelling out every word as if he were speaking to a little child.

"I followed you," Jessamine said pointedly.  
"You what?" Will bellowed.

"William, we best get going," Magnus announced from the boat.

"Just give me a second Magnus," Will waved him off. He turned back to Jessamine. "What were you thinking, following us?"

"Your name is William?" Jessamine said, her brown eyes wide. Will realized that Jessamine had never actually known who he actually was.

"Will Herondale," Will quickly explained. "Never mind that. Answer my question."

"I had to," Jessamine continued, narrowing her eyes at him. "I was curious to where you all were going. I heard rumors circulating about. You know, how Devil's collects all the words of gossip. Anyway, this was most unlike Heron the Great, or Will as you actually are, to do. He never served anyone, for the Heron I knew was a solo figure. So, after a lot of work of running around here and there and nearly losing track of you countless times, I ended up here. It was lucky I found you. And I'm coming with you."

"No you're not," Will said firmly. "You caused too much of a hassle last time, Jessie. I can't afford it this round."

"You really do love her, don't you?" Jessamine said. "The brown-haired girl who turned up at the Devil's with you."

"I – ," Will had never actually thought about it. But it made sense. "Yes, I do."

"Something has changed in you, Will," Jessamine said softly. She no longer had that arrogance in her voice she once had. "And like you, I have also changed. I know I was a bitch and a burden before. But making me serve at Blackfriars, I begun to notice my true potential. Maybe it took me longer than others, but I know what I did before was wrong, and I'm here to repay for what I've done. To prove to you that I'm not weak and that I can fight. So I will come with you."

"She does have a valid reason, Will," Jem said quietly from behind him. Will had nearly forgotten they were still waiting for him. "There's no point in arguing."

"Very well," Will sighed. "Come along. And if you step out of line even once, then consider yourself thrown overboard."

"No worries, I won't," Jessamine said confidently, then stepped into the boat, and Will filed in after her.

"All aboard!" Magnus shouted.

"Oooh, are you going to use magic again?" Cecily said eagerly.

Magnus frowned. "Unfortunately, I can't. I drained myself bringing this large boat here, and I won't regain my magic until tomorrow. For now, we're going old school style."

"Hmph," Cecily crossed her arms and sunk down.

"Deal with it Cecy," Will playfully hit her in the arm. "At least we have a way to get there now."

"True," Jem mused. Magnus laughed and released the anchor. They were finally on their way to Cadair Idris and Tessa.

* * *

Tessa jolted awake when she heard her cell door being swung open. The figure was carrying light and through the illumination, she could see that it was Gideon Lightwood.

"I brought food for you," he announced, coming to Tessa and setting down a tray of bread and butter, with a glass of water.

"Much obliged," Tessa thanked him. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Past noon," Gideon recited. No wonder Tessa was hungry… she hadn't eaten since the feast two nights ago.

"Where is Sophie?" Tessa said, peering over Gideon's shoulder, but seeing no sign of anybody else there.

"They wouldn't let her out," Gideon grumbled. "My stupid brother's orders. At least they let me give you this." He gestured to the food before her.

"Oh," Tessa said, not wanting to display her sheer hatred for Gabriel at the moment.

"Sorry you've been tangled up in this," Gideon said. Tessa had no idea where he was going with this, but he went on, "but you must know that Gabriel and I differ by family values. He cherishes our father more than I do, for I rather despise him. Nevertheless, you and my father are somehow entwined with the whole plot in Cadair Idris. And Gabriel is determined to get you there to appease him."

"You mean that this is all connected?" Tessa said.

Gideon nodded. "I don't know the exact details of what they have planned for you and who else is involved. But I promise you, Tessa, that Sophie, Charlotte, Henry, and I have all got your back. And we will do whatever we can to help you."

* * *

"Jem, make him stop," Jessamine whined.

It was midday now and the boat was slowly trudging through the water, though there was thick fog enveloping them all around. And how was Will passing time? By repeatedly poking Jessamine, which he found largely entertaining.

"Will, is there anything better you can do?" Jem said, leaning against the boat, his silvery hair ruffled by the sea winds.

Will thought about this long and hard. "No, there isn't." So, he continued to poke Jessamine in the arm, who in turn groaned loudly.

"James!" she shouted. Cecily and Magnus seemed to be enjoying the scene in front of them.

Suddenly, Will stopped on his own, lowering his hand. There was a song in the distance, a sweet song filling the air and making Will feel lightheaded and giddy. Visions begun to swirl around him, and slowly these visions became more real and tangible. They all involved him and Tessa and he could physically feel himself beside Tessa, in her constant presence. Though, something was off-putting about all this.

"Hey, it actually worked," Jem said, snapping Will back into focus. "I didn't even have to tell him and he stopped."

"Thank goodness," Jessamine said exasperated, throwing her arms up dramatically.

"Something isn't right," Will announced tensely.

"What do you mean?" Cecily said, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't you hear it?" Will said. Everyone gave him a blank stare.

"I do," Magnus finally said. At least Will wasn't going crazy. The images of Tessa still hadn't left and they were growing stronger by the second.

"Tie me to there," Will instructed to them, pointing to the mast. He knew this was the only way to prevent himself from doing anything stupid. "And make sure you all protect your ears." At least they couldn't hear the song, so they were safe for the time being.

"Will, are you sure?" Jem said doubtfully, questioning him.

"It's an order," said Will firmly, rising and scooting himself against the pole of the mast.

"Does this work?" Magnus lifted some candles up, breaking off the wax.

"That should do," Will agreed, as Jem found some spare rope to the side and bound Will tightly to the mast.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing, William," Jem said under his breath, securing the bonds.

"I do," Will said. Magnus handed Jem the wax, and Jem stuck it in Will's ear. Jem did the same to his ears as well.

Right as everyone had blocked their ears, the fog began to dissipate, revealing a bunch of rocks jutting out from the ocean. From a distance, there appeared to be three beautiful women, waving at Will and the others while playing various musical instruments, namely a harp and a flute. But, as their boat approached the side, Will got a good look at them.

They were not human at all. He looked at his fellow comrades to see horror written across their faces. These women, or rather things, had the head of a woman, but legs of a bird with no wings. They continued playing music, though Will could not hear, and threw menacing glares at them. They were obviously taunting them, and Will had no desire to go up to them, as he once would have.

Will held his breath as they passed. There was nothing these creatures could do, unless they removed the wax from their ears. Slowly, the creatures disappeared from view. As they did, Will glanced over at Magnus, who nodded and removed the wax from his ear. The others followed his lead, and Magnus cut Will loose. Will took the wax out and sure enough, the song was gone.

"What was that?" Jessamine said.

"Sirens," Magnus and Will said simultaneously. Magnus grinned at this.

"I've heard of them," Jem said thoughtfully. "Though, I never thought I would actually see them. Good you heard them first, Will, or we would have all been dead."

"Yes, you would have been," said someone who definitely was not aboard. Will spun around, but there couldn't have been anyone else.

"Down here," said the voice, and Will and the others peered down to see none other than the mermaid Camille swimming alongside the boat. What was with people sneaking up on them today?

"Camille?" Magnus was the first to speak, much to Will's astonishment.

"You two know each other?" Will said.

"Yes," Magnus said reluctantly, as if there was more to this. Clearly he didn't want to elaborate on it.

"Magnus," Camille nodded at him. "We meet again, Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs," Camille said, looking at them.

"And me!" Cecily said, desperately getting Camille's attention.

"Of course, and you, Cecily Herondale," purred Camille.

"What brings you here?" Magnus said with a twinge of annoyance.

"To help you of course," Camille laughed, though there was a sharp edge to this. "I know you are going to Cadair Idris."

"I've got this situation perfectly under control," Magnus said crossly. "I don't need your help."

"Says the warlock who didn't help at all when you passed the Sirens," Camille challenged him.

"I'm out of magic," Magnus argued back.

"Suit yourself," Camille said with a bored undercurrent to her tone. "Try it."

Magnus muttered something angrily under his breath, but tried. He raised his hand and performed a little gesture. Sure enough, a blue spark appeared, then vanished.

"See," Camille pointed out. "Together with your magic and my vast knowledge of the seas, we can get Mr. Herondale safely to Cadair Idris. What do you say?" She spoke directly to Will.

Will stared into her bright green eyes. "I say I'm for it. Anything to get us there." And to Tessa, but he didn't say this aloud. He was close, so close, and Camille obliged. He would be there in no time.

* * *

Gideon had left soon afterwards and Tessa devoured her meal. She wanted more, but knew that she didn't have that luxury. She tilted her head back, hoping to sleep, for that was all she could really do to pass time. Right when she began to drift into sleep, the door banged open.

This time around it was Gabriel Lightwood.

"Get up," he barked at Tessa.

Hesitantly, Tessa obeyed. Gabriel was in a rather irritable mood, and she didn't want to disappoint him any more.

"Come with me," he said, and then hastily set off. Tessa scurried on after him, as Gabriel seemed to not want to wait for her. They made their way up the stairs to the main deck when Tessa was hit by pure darkness.

"We're here," Gabriel said, answering her unasked question. "Cadair Idris."

Tessa couldn't believe it. After all the talk and commotion about this place, Tessa was finally here. Though not under the best circumstances, she had reached Cadair Idris, though she had no idea where it was. She could barely see anything.

As the ship drifted through the water, there was a light up ahead. As they neared, she saw it was a lantern, and a man seemed to be holding it. _Ithuriel_ perfectly stopped at the rocks before the man. The crew lowered the gangway, and Gabriel pushed Tessa forward down it to the rocks. Tessa could see the man more easily, and recognition and dread filled her as she recognized who it was.

"It's great to finally see you Tessie." It was none other than her brother, Nathaniel.

* * *

**Muhahaha. See, Nate would come back! And more surprises to come. Also, credits for SilverCarstairs for suggesting the idea of the Sirens to me. I hadn't originally planned to have them in, but it worked out nicely in the end.**

**Okayyyy so I've now finished book 6 out of 7 in the HP series. Boy this is taking me longer to reread than I expected. And of course I decided to reread TID at the same time. I just read the Wessa scene in CA and AHHHHHH. I never get bored of that hehe.**

**Speaking of which (not really of anything but yeah), I have a new story out. It's called 'A World Apart' so if you haven't checked it out, please do so! This story is almost done, I'm thinking about 5-7 more chapters, so then I'll focus on that one. Also, many of you have asked about my TDA fic on this story, and I've finally updated it. Or rather, rewritten it.**

**Anyways, is anyone else having problems with reviews? Like not being able to view them? This has been going on for over a day and I hope I'm not the only one with this problem D:**

**So site problems aside, I hope y'all liked the chapter! It was probably another filler one like before, but things are gonna get goooood.**

**Kthxbye.**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	20. A Ritual and a Sacrifice

**The elf from Alagesia: Yes! Or more the Odyssey, but yeah. Be prepared for this chapter though. Everything will finally start to make sense :).**

**Wessa shipper: Oh yeah, he doesn't give a damn about family, as you'll soon find out. Enjoy!**

**CookiesHerondale: Go ahead and do that! I bet we all want to strangle Gabriel right now.**

**TessaElsaHerondale: Wow Jill! This is one hell of a long review. I did a word count on it (because I'm weird that way hehe), and over 1K words! I'm speechless. Your review was so touching and really made my day. No words can express how grateful I am for this. Anyways, I love reading your predictions. I'm not gonna say if they're right or wrong, so you'll have to find out for yourself :P. Oh and your last review was on the top because there was a glitch with ff, but they fixed it. Hehe, you like Gabriel? Well, you never know... he's quite unpredictable. Awww but you're so sweet! I enjoy all of your reviews... just watching your freak out it tons of fun. But again, thank you so much for your kind words. They mean a lot to me. Do you really think Forbidden Love (you got it right!) is better than some books? Wow. But I think you do have the potential to become a New York Times best-selling author! Hmmm, now that gives me something to shoot for... Anywho, I'm glad that I am improving your English. And you really think of me as a teacher? Awww that means a lot. Grrr I'm starting to get redundant here. And thanks for thinking of me as a friend :). After our review and review responses going back and forth, I think the same for you :D. And don't apologize at all! This was great to read. If you ever wanna talk, just feel free to PM me. I feel that's easier to go back and forth on hehe. Sooo, enjoy this update! xoxo.**

**The-Finale-Hope: SORRY! You know I just love them cliffies ;D. Enjoy this chapter, and another possible cliffie!**

**TheClockWorkGirl: Go for it! There are no hard feelings here :)**

**Angelicaangel: Yay! I'm glad you were on the right track. Yeah, the Jessamine thing was last minute.**

**Personorwhatever: I totally get you. That always happens with me too, because I always read fanfics on my phone and it's a struggle to type them up :/. Yes, Camille and Magnus have a history. You'll briefly find out about it later. And yes, it is Odysseus with the Sirens. Oh, and my name is from Alice in Wonderland. I was the Red Queen on the blog because one of my friends on the blog and I where the Red and White Queens for Halloween, so that's why we took up those identities. Eep I hope you had a good first day! Ouch that's no good though :(. I hope you get better!**

**Matilovesbooks: Ahhh, that was much too tempting hehe. No worries! Glad to see you're back! Awww poor Jessie there :(. And you'll find out about Nate soon!**

**Silver and black: Hehe I can see that ;) Thank you! Yes, it really does. Or Percy Jackson haha. Enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

"Nate?" Tessa said in shock.

Nate, rather than smiling and greeting his sister, just glared at her. "Come with me," he said coldly.

Tessa swallowed hard. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

There was a flicker of something in Nate's blue eyes, but it was gone in a flash. "I am ordering you to come with me. Ignoring me would be a terrible choice on your behalf."

Nate turned away and stalked towards the a stony opening; it was pitch black beyond that. Gabriel roughly nudged Tessa, who reluctantly stepped forward and followed her brother. She ran to catch up with Nate, though his stiff posture was completely unwelcoming.

"So," Tessa started to say, "what happened when I left the ship?"

Nate said nothing and stared straight ahead, as if Tessa didn't exist.

So, Tessa decided to try again. "So how have you been, Nate?"

"You will answer to the Magister and the Magister only," Nate said sharply, still not looking at his sister. Tessa recoiled. Nate had been such a loving brother, always sticking by her side and being there for her. She had never really seen this cold and unfeeling Nate, only glimpses when her parents lost their temper, which was quite rare. What could have possibly solicited such strange behavior?

They walked the rest of the way through the dark cave, the only illumination coming from the lantern that Nate held firmly in his hand. It wasn't enough light, and Tessa was constantly tripping over loose rocks lying on the ground. She peeked over her shoulder to see the rest of the crew behind Gabriel. Gideon and Sophie were walking hand in hand, and the latter appeared very terrified. Henry and Charlotte were closely following; Charlotte nervous and Henry just confused.

The rocks suddenly broke away and opened up to a vast place: a lake. Surrounding the lake were more rocks, though these ones were much flatter. Atop the cave was an opening, and moonlight streamed through, lightening the place.

Nate skirted around the edge of the lake, and Tessa did the same, being sure not to fall into the dark water. There was no telling how deep that lake was. Sitting on the other side was a stone basin, which probably came to Tessa's waist. And standing before that was a stout man, who was smiling cheerfully at them.

"Well done, Nathaniel!" the man said, as Nate approached him with Tessa by his side.

"The pleasure is mine, sir," Nate said, bowing.

"It's great to finally meet you, Tessa," the man said, holding out his hand. Tessa took it and he shook it vigorously. "My name is Axel Mortmain."

Axel Mortmain. Tessa immediately knew that name, though she had never seen his face. He was quite well known throughout Idris and even beyond. A popular trader with some of the best offers, people tried to get their hands on him. He apparently had an amicable relationship with her parents, as he was one of the top notch traders.

"Are you the Magister?" Tessa asked, recalling the name Nate just told her.

"Yes, yes, but that's all too formal, isn't it? So please, just call me Mortmain," Mortmain said. "And now, where is your fabulous Heron the Great? I must congratulate him for making it this far."

"He's not here," Gabriel said, speaking for the first time.

"Is that so?" Mortmain said, his bustling energy slowly dying down and being replaced by disappointment. "And where is he now?"

"Let's just say that Heron the Great stepped out of line and needed to be put in place," Gabriel said indifferently. "He's gone and he'll never find us."

"What?!" Mortmain bellowed, his pudgy face quickly reddening. "My instructions were to have Heron the Great deliver Miss Gray to me, not some worthless young fool like you."

Gabriel looked entirely indignant. "But don't you know who I am, sir? I am Gabriel Lightwood, son of Benedict Lightwood. Surely my father would be proud to see what a feat that I accomplished."

"Your father," Mortmain scoffed. "What a stupid dolt he was. I bet he's giving you a round of applause in his grave.

Gideon let out a sharp gasp and Gabriel was stricken, the color drained from his face. As much as Tessa hated Gabriel, she felt an ounce of pity for him.

"He's what?" Gabriel said, his voice several octaves higher than usual.

"That's right, he's dead," Mortmain sneered. "Contracted some sort of disease, went completely bonkers, then dropped dead just a few short days ago. He was of no use to me in the end, so I'm glad he's disposed of."

"No," Gabriel whimpered, burying his head in his hands.

"Tessa, darling, come here," Mortmain said, his voice instantly changing as if nothing happened. Hesitantly Tessa stepped up to him, and she got a better look at this man. He was short with graying hair and gray eyes, with a trim beard boxing his face. His eyes were stony, the opposite of what was coming out of his mouth.

"You're a pretty one," he smirked. "But now to the real order of business. Do you want to know why you're here?"

Tessa nodded. "Of course I do."

"Very well," Mortmain said.

"Sir, are you sure you should do this?" Nate said, his voice wavering slightly.

"Positive," Mortmain affirmed. "I think it's best if your sister knows. There isn't much time left."

"She's not my sister," Nate growled, anger flashing in his eyes.

"Yes, she's not," Mortmain said, feigning great sadness.

"I'm not your sister?" Tessa gasped.

"Of course not you idiot," Nate snapped at her. "And I thought you were the clever one of the family."

"Well sorry that I didn't figure it out," Tessa said frostily. "There were no clues to tell me why."

"I am not Nathaniel Gray, but rather Nathaniel Moore," Nate informed her. "My mother was Harriet Moore, the sister of your, not our, mother, Elizabeth. Harriet died while giving birth to me, and your mother took me in. So I am not, in any way part of the royal bloodline. But I soon will be."

"Well said, Nathaniel," Mortmain said, sounding mildly impressed. "And good job, retrieving the chest." He indicated to the corner of the cave, where there was a large wooden chest. She had seen it before in the palace back home, and her parents had instructed her that it contained many of the Gray family heirlooms and was strictly forbidden to touch.

"Is that what I think it is?" Tessa said, her eyes wide.

"Yes," Mortmain said, a glimpse of mania reflected in his eyes. "Nathaniel here so graciously brought it here. He snuck it on your ship without you even noticing. And now it's mine."

"Ours," Nate corrected him.

"Right," Mortmain cleared his throat. "Ours."

"So what do I have to do with all of this?" Tessa said, desperate to know.

"It's all pretty simple," Mortmain said nonchalantly. "We need you to complete the ritual."

"The ritual?" Tessa echoed. This was definitely not what she expected.

"Oh yes," Mortmain said, looking pleased with himself. "Now that I have this basin, the chest, and you, it is almost complete."

"And what does this ritual entail?" Tessa said, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Immortality, for the price of a sacrifice," Mortmain grinned.

"What?" Tessa suddenly felt light-headed.

"You see, Miss Gray, there are ancient documents of some sort that have spoke of this," Mortmain said. "A mix of royal blood with the family treasure over a sacred spot, and the person and all those they want are given immortality. I have been planning this for years. And as it so happens, Nate here came across similar documents. He knew I was up to something, due to my frequent visits and inquiries about the chest. So he approached me first. And together we devised a plan.

"And that plan involved you. Of course, I needed the means to get to you. It would have been much too obvious if we took you away from your palace back in Idris. No, it had to be more discreet and take a while for people to figure out.

"That was when I contacted Heron the Great. He said he would do it, for the price of the reward. He knew nothing of the sacrifice and just thought he would be granted immortality. I promised that much for himself and for his crew, for getting you here safely."

"He did not," Tessa said. But, Will's feelings had changed. He would never turn her in for a blood sacrifice. Or would he? No, otherwise he would be here. That would make sense why he had the sudden change to take Tessa back to Idris.

"Well he was supposed to, until he turned his back on me," Mortmain grumbled angrily. "And now, I would like to take back that offer. So your efforts were futile, Mr. Lightwood. No immortality for you and the rest of the crew."

Gabriel looked livid, though he didn't say anything.

"Though, there's still me and Nathaniel here," Mortmain said eagerly. "Come here, Miss Gray."

"No," Tessa said, standing firmly on her spot.

"This would be a lot easier if you just complied with me, Miss Gray," Mortmain sighed heavily.

"I would never do anything for you," Tessa spat.

"You leave me no choice," Mortmain shook his head. "Nate, seize her and bring her to me. I will kill anyone who steps in your way. And take her sword while you're at it."

"Yes, sir," Nate said, and grabbed Tessa painfully by the arm. Tessa yelped and tried to twist away, but Nate was too strong and was already reaching around her waist. He yanked her sword out from her belt and threw it across the rocks, where it skidded to a halt twenty feet away. He brought her to Mortmain, who was still standing in front of the stone basin.

"Good girl," Mortmain said, and grabbing her so she faced the basin. He gripped her tightly from behind unsheathed his own sword. As she looked down into the basin, she saw it was filled with various trinkets from her family chest. Mortmain brought the sword to her throat, the cold edge of the sword sending shivers down Tessa's spine.

"Now Miss Gray, prepare to die," he whispered in her ear.

"Stop right there!" shouted someone from the other end of the cave.

Tessa looked up in alarm to see Cecily, Jem, Jessamine, and Magnus Bane all there. And standing before them was none other than Will Herondale.

* * *

**And they're finally reunited! Woohoo!**

**So I'll think I'll just leave it at that.**

**Oh and FF seemed to have fixed their problem. Yay!**

**Until next time peeps!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	21. Collapse

**Grrrr fanfic was acting up. I think some reviews for ch. 20 popped up as 19, because I wasn't able to view that chapter for a while too. Anyways, here are the review responses.**

**AREYOUBLEEPINGME: OH MY GAWD SILVERCARSTAIRS. YOU LITERALLY GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK! You little sneak! But an ingenious sneak with pure talent that is ;). You sure are clever, my friend. I was ready to type up another review response and express my heart, but then I read the rest of your review and PHEW. What a relief. That aside, thank you! As always, my friend! No more cliffies, I promise! Or do I? ;)**

**Vialovesbooks: Sorry! I just love them so much! Thank you :) I didn't really notice the HP thing until I read the reviews. Which is funny bc I just finished rereading #6 now. **

**The-Finale-Hope: Hahaha I love fangirl panic attacks! They're the best to read. Just continue to do it and make me happy :D**

**Slytherinavenger: Thank you! I love cliffies too :D Ahhhh our dashing hero must always come to the rescue. Distract yourself from math though! Enjoy this chappie :D**

**SilverJem5: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like this story so far. More twists and turns for fun! Hmmm, maybe I'll add a bit about Jem's past...**

**The most Awesome of all: No worries! I'll include their journey, but idk when. Enjoy this one!**

**Personorwhatever: Yeah, I didn't want to make it too long otherwise it would be pointless rambling. This one is the same way, though. But nevertheless, thank you! I just love dem twists, and you know that by now. Awww no! But cute guys are always a plus, especially one that you like. Something to look forward to :D Eep good luck with your next game then!**

**The Iron Sister: Clara, you're seriously one of the sweetest people ever. And quit apologizing for not reviewing! I'm just happy that you're reading this story, and that's all that counts :D. Anyways, I love just messing with people with the titles of chapters. It's fun. I'm glad you pay attention to the chapter titles though, haha. But yes, Nate and Mortmain can gladly rot away in Edom. Not Gabriel so much, though earlier, I would have been glad to dump him there with you. Good to know! About fillers. They're always not the best to write, but they're necessary for plot, development, blah blah blah. So yeah. Jessamine will probably surprise you, but she is good in this story. I decided to mix it up with her in the end. But def more Wessa to come! How could there not? Wessa is like my OTP and I would die without them. I mean it xD. So enjoy you're holiday! I hope you find wi-fi because idk what to do without it D: And nice use of your friend. You're mine too :)**

**Don't Touch My Books: Here's the next update! Thank you for your kind words! It means a lot :)**

**The elf from Alagesia: This is a long one, my friend! That's the point with Jessie, though. She ends up being a good character in the end of TID, so I wanted to bring out her best qualities. Yes, Elizabeth is her name! I'm not gonna do the Adele stuff because it's too complicated and I used that in my last story. As for Mortmain, it's all explained in this chapter. You're right though, it's more than just immortality and you'll find out soon. Idk if I'll put the origins of Sophie's scar in though... maybe I can squeeze it in later. But your advice definitely helped!**

* * *

Mortmain stood there, frozen in his spot, the knife still pressed against Tessa's throat. She could feel the cool metal kissing her neck, itching to move across it. But Mortmain dared not to do so. She could feel his hand shaking, almost imperceptively. He certainly did not expect Will to come.

"Put the sword down Magister," Will said slowly. "Or should I say, Mortmain?"

With great reluctance, Mortmain lowered his sword, much to Tessa's surprise. He even loosened his grip on Tessa, and she let out a big exhale in slight relief.

"So Heron the Great finally decided to show up," Mortmain said. "What changed your mind? Was it the deal after all? I guess you're just the greedy bastard I expected you to be."

Will laughed. "Quite the opposite actually, Mortmain."

"Well, you don't know a damn this Gray girl is worth," Mortmain spat.

"Tessa is worth a lot more to me and the rest of the crew than she does to you," Will said, looking directly at Tessa. His dark blue eyes were filled with nothing but kindness and tenderness. Tessa wanted to do nothing more than to run over and embrace Will, but she couldn't under Mortmain's tight reign.

"Says who?" Mortmain roared. "You and you're puny army. Well take a look at mine."

There was a rustle, followed by a pattering of footsteps behind Tessa. She glanced over her shoulder to see ten… twenty… at least thirty men making their way through the shadows. She had never even noticed them there, and by judging by everyone else's expression, neither had them.

"I came prepared, I always do," Mortmain smiled evilly, turning back to Will and the others.

"There was supposed to be no fight in this," Will said. "And we were supposed to be alone."

"You brought your crew, and so did I," Mortmain said.

"My crew was part of the deal, and you know that," Will almost shouted. "Don't go back on your promise."

"And did you know that promise came at the price at her death?" Mortmain said, shaking Tessa violently.

"Stop," Will said, a deadly edge to his voice. "You never said that you were going to sacrifice Tessa as part of the promise."

"And what difference would that have made?" Mortmain scoffed at Will.

"All the difference in the world," Will said with so much emotion. "You told me to bring Tessa to you, and nothing else after that."

"I left it ambiguous for a reason," Mortmain sneered. "It proves that even the powerful Heron the Great is vulnerable. And for what? A petty girl who is worth more to me than to you."

"You don't know any of it," Will muttered, more to himself than anything.

"I don't care," Mortmain said. "And you don't even know my story. None of you know my story."

"Then enlighten us," Will said. Really Will? Tessa thought to herself. Was this really the time to waste? Though, she was curious herself…

"Once upon a time, fifty years ago, my father was one of the most notorious pirates in the lands and seas, even more than you, Heron the Great," Mortmain said. "He was known as the Hand of Death."

"Mortmain," Jem remarked. Tessa nearly forgot he was standing right there, beside Will. "It makes sense."

"Shut up, will you? This is my story," Mortmain barked. "Anyway, he did his duty as being the worst pirate. Killing, looting, raping, doing all the awful things to build his horrible reputation. But nevertheless, he was strong and powerful and many respected him for that. And naturally, he made enemies along the way. One of his worst adversaries was Aloysius Starkweather."

"My great grandfather," Tessa breathed. She had known, of course, that her great grandfather despised the Hand of Death, but never knew the actual reasons behind it.

"Precisely," Mortmain grinned. "One day, the two crossed paths and engaged in a quarrel of some sorts. This argument turned into something more, and soon, my father was left dying and everything he had earned over the years was completely destroyed. This single man ruined my father and wished him dead.

"But, by some miracle, my father did not die. He went into hiding, found a wife, had me, and started his own company, Mortmain and Company. But never once did he forget about Aloysius Starkweather and how he had ruined my father. So my father paid vengeance. He died before he could act upon it, but I was fully cognizant of what needed to be completed.

"And timing was perfect. The Starkweathers were rather a weakening family, but Aloysius married his granddaughter, Elizabeth, to Richard Gray of the very powerful Gray family. The alliance strengthened both families and called for the opportune moment to plan my revenge.

"It took me over twenty years, but it has been twenty hard and long years. And it has certainly paid off now. In that time, I posed myself as a strong ally to the Grays and forged a network of building my company stronger, becoming the Gray's most powerful trader. At the time I received inside secrets. That Nate was not really Richard and Elizabeth's child, but rather Tessa was. That was the most important one. And I knew I needed her to complete this ritual.

"Together, with Miss Gray, this stone basin in Cadair Idris, and the Gray family treasure, everything is complete. All I have to do is sacrifice Miss Gray before the basin, and then I, and only I, will become immortal. Once that is complete, I will be invincible and I will fully take revenge and bring down the Gray family, killing all in my wake. I can take over their kingdom, and everything will be mine."

"You're crazy," Will said. "That will never happen."

"Oh yeah?" Mortmain yelled. "And who's going to stop me?"

Unexpectedly, there was a scream of pain and one of Mortmain's men slid down to his knees, crumpling to his death. There was a sword wedged squarely in his chest. Tessa glanced around to see who had done it.

Gabriel Lightwood stood there, his stance ready to strike again. "I will," he said. "And so will everyone else. Go!"

And then, pure chaos erupted.

Gabriel, Gideon, Charlotte, Henry, and the rest of the crew ran towards Mortmain's men, swords at the ready. Mortmain started shouting out orders to his men, forgetting that Tessa was there. Tessa took advantage of this and begun to back away. She was so focused on Mortmain that she rammed into someone.

"Ah!" Tessa said, and someone put a hand over her mouth. She spun around to see she was staring right into dark blue eyes.

"Tess, shhhh," Will said.

"Will!" Tessa exclaimed, and threw her arms around him. "How did you find us so fast?"

"It's a long story that we shall save for later," Will said hurriedly. "Here's your sword." He handed her Needle. He must have retrieved it among all this fighting. "Do you remember all the moves that I taught you?"

"How could I forget?" Tessa smiled.

"That's my Tess," Will quickly kissed her temple. "Now, let's go."

He ran off into the brawl, where it was a hodgepodge of his and Mortmain's people fighting intensely. Tessa sighed and went after them. She had almost reached the fighting when someone yanked her roughly by the shoulder, sending her to the ground.

"You stupid bitch," Nate growled, and kicked Tessa in the ribs. Tessa let out a yelp of pain. "You can't fight, so I'll just leave you here for Mortmain to finish."

"You can't kill me," Tessa choked, scrambling to get up. "Mortmain wants me alive."

"Alive doesn't mean uninjured," Nate said, mania flickering in his light blue eyes.

Tessa yelled and struck out to him. Nate's reflexes were too slow, and Tessa left a deep gash on his upper right arm.

"How dare you," Nate said, horror-struck.

"How could you, Nate?" Tessa said, her eyes brimming with tears. "I loved you, and I trusted you. My mother and father treated you like a child of their own."

"Child of their own," Nate retorted in disgust. "You were never there when they showed their true colors, Tessie. You were always their favorite and I was just a mere ward they were desperate to get rid of. They could never love me."

"You're wrong," Tessa shook her head. "And you're delusional. Maybe mother and father were right about you sometimes."

"They hated me, see," Nate snarled. "And you're a stupid girl, as always."

Tessa charged at him, and punched him hard. Nate countered, and kicked her down again, throwing more punches. Tessa was quick enough to evade these, and each punch met with a crushing blow to the rocks for Nate.

"You're better than I thought, Tessie," Nate said, rubbing his sore knuckles. "But you're no match for me." He suddenly grabbed her legs and slammed her against the hard rocks. Tessa's body erupted with pain in every inch.

"Now, prepare to die," Nate said, drawing out his own sword.

Before Tessa could protest this and tell him to save her for Mortmain, the cave shook. Tessa thought it was a figment of her imagination, but Nate looked along in alarm. Tessa propped herself on her elbows to see what was going on.

"Tessa!" Will shouted, breaking away from the fight. "Duck!"

Tessa didn't understand what he meant by this. Will ran to her and pulled her to the ground, his body over hers. The cave continued to shake, and bits of rock went flying anywhere. Will and Tessa were huddled to the side, and Will shielded her from most of the quake. When it was over, Will collapsed beside her, breathing heavily.

"Are you okay?" he asked between ragged breaths.

"I'm fine," Tessa said. There was not a scratch on her. "Will you be alright, Will?"

"Nothing will damage this beautiful face," Will smirked, and Tessa knew he would be fine.

She looked away from him to where she and Nate were fighting. A lot of Mortmain's men lay dying beneath the loose rocks that had fallen. Cecily, Gabriel, Gideon, Charlotte, Henry, Jessamine, Magnus, and Jem arose from their spots with little or no injuries. Naturally, Mortmain was fine, but was in a daze.

Then, a few feet from where she was fighting lay Nate, spread-eagle. Tessa scrambled to her feet and limped to where Nate lay down. As she approached, she could see that his breathing had slowed and was shallow and ragged.

"Nate?" she said gently.

"Tessie," Nate croaked.

"Nate," she rushed over and propped him up, placing his head on her lap."

"Tessie, I'm so sorry," Nate mumbled.

"Shhh, save your strength," Tessa said quietly.

"This cave wasn't meant to hold so many people," Nate said. "I deserve this. Better me than you. This was meant for me, not you."

"Nate, don't say those things," Tessa chided him softly.

"You know it's true, Tessie," Nate said. "And what an awful brother I was. I mean it, Tessie. I was family to you, and I betrayed you. I guess this is vengeance to myself."

"Nate please don't," Tessa said.

"I must," Nate said. "Tell mother and father that I've always loved you. Goodbye, Tessie."

And with that, Nate went slack in her arms and he died.

Tessa held back the tears that were threatening to spill out. He had been her brother after all, but did he really mean for things to go out of hand? Daring not to think too much into it, Tessa turned and glanced around her. Those that survived were emerging from the rubble. None of them, though, noticed what had happened between her and Nate.

And then she saw Mortmain. In all that occurred, he was unscathed, evidently not participating in battle. The moonlight from above illuminated him, making him appear more ancient than he actually was.

Tessa rose from her spot, gently setting Nate's still body down. She was ready. Now was the time to face Mortmain fair and square and put an end to this madness.

* * *

**Didn't see that coming, did you? I thought Mortmain deserved more of a back story. He is the primary villain, after all, an they all must have their motives. So there you have it.**

**So be prepared for more action in the next chapter! School is starting next week, so I'm hoping to finish this story by then. If not, then expect infrequent updates. So yeah.**

**Review, favorite, follow, and all that!**

**Later peeps!  
**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	22. An Angel

**Hey everyone! I'm finally back. Boy, it's been a while since I've updated. Blame school. I'm hoping to update once, or if I'm lucky, twice a week. But don't worry, I will finish this story!**

**Onwards with the review responses****:**

**Don't Touch My Books: Sorry! This chapter may just have another one haha**

**SilverCarstairs: lol I like that little commentary there. Very accurate. Sorry not sorry about Nate though. It just adds to the plot! Bleh, school. Yeah it varies state to state and school to school. My school actually starts earlier compared to others.**

**The-Finale-Hope: Sorry! There's still a few more chapters left. Haha I totally get you. I feel sad that this is about to end too. And SilverCarstairs was just hilarious :D**

**nicoleherondale: Hey there! Swog lol. Don't worry about it! Things get busy so yeah. Sorry D: That was the only thing I could think of. Eep, and I didn't update soon *puts on another guilty face*. I hate school bleh. Enjoy this chapter though! xoxo**

**TessaElsaHerondale: Another long review Jill! Wow! No worries though. I totally understand. Oh good, you like Gabriel now. That's exactly what I was getting to. Hmmm Church... I haven't quite thought about him. Maybe? Idk how to fit him in, but things could change. You definitely have potential though! And yes do PM me a snippet :). No clockwork creatures in this one. Just purely human. With a touch of magic. Nice freak out though. Very entertaining to read haha. The duck thing though... glad you caught that ;). Thank you again for your kind words! Enjoy!**

**TheClockWorkGirl: Here it is!**

**Vialovesbooks: Thank you! Glad you liked it. Ohhh Will *swoons*. Nate isn't the brother, though. For the sake of this story. Ooh freshman year. Have fun with that!**

**The elf from Alagesia: Yay! Told you I would add that backstory. Enjoy this one :D**

**SHIP IT SO HARD IT HURTS: Sorry! They're just much too fun!**

**Lifeofme: Thanks! Yeah I tried to make Nate like how he is in the books**

**Personorwhatever: Hmmm... you'll find out. Or will she kill him? Haha I didn't even think of that. Marbas may or may not come, but it's all spoilers ahead. Ugh I feel you. I finished all my hw, so that's why I was able to write this chapter.**

**AthenaLesage: Wow you read this fast! Thank you so much. You're very kind. Have fun with this chapter!**

* * *

"What are you going to do now, Mortmain?" Tessa heard Will scoff. "Most of your men are gone and you are now outnumbered."

Despite everything, Mortmain smiled, completely unfazed. Blood was running down his cheek and there were cuts across his face. "As long as Miss Gray is still alive, then the plan will go accordingly," he said in a low voice that rattled Tessa's bones.

"Stop!" Tessa shouted. Everyone whirled around. She was standing ten feet away, holding Needle at her chest. Tessa turned to Mortmain, glaring at him. "If you make another move towards me, I swear I will drive this sword through my chest."

"Tessa, no!" Will yelled. She heard a sword clatter to the ground and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jem gaping at her. Even Cecily, Sophie, Gideon, and Gabriel stood in shock.

Tessa ignored him. "I'll do it. I know I will."

Mortmain looked at her, trying to keep a level gaze. "Now Miss Gray, if you would just cooperate and put that sword down, then all will be good."

"No," Tessa said coldly. "If you take another step, I will drive this right through me. All of your hard work, years of ambition will be gone just like that."

"You will never do that," Mortmain said, trying to convince himself otherwise.

"How do you know that?" Tessa challenged him. "You don't know who I am and what I am capable of."

"Tessa, please don't," Will begged her. Tessa willed herself not to look at him.

"You don't know what you're saying, Heron the Great," Mortmain said sharply. "You don't need her as much as I do. I have spent decades researching, reaching out, building up to this very moment. My whole life has relied on this."

"And it may just end right here and now," Tessa narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm sorry, Mr. Mortmain."

"You stupid fool," Mortmain spat. "You're just a girl, and a weak one of that. You will never do such a thing."

"Try me," Tessa said, and grinned at him crookedly.

"Very well," Mortmain said, and not to Tessa's surprise, he took a step further.

Tessa spun around on her heel and pushed the tip of the sword against her chest. She glanced down to see a spot of red flowering on her white shirt. Blood. Pain seared through her veins and she could hear shouts and screams behind her. But she could barely register them; this was much too important.

A sudden heat rose up in her chest. Is this what death felt like? No, it felt much too… glorious. Her angel pendant was glowing, much like how it had in Skull Island. But this was a different glow. This was much more powerful with something else mixed in with it.

As it glowed, it latched away from her neck. And then, it began to grow, grow bigger than it had the last time. And as it grew, it enveloped itself around Tessa, the two becoming one. Tessa had never felt such strength surge inside of her, and at the same time she didn't feel like herself. This was some different magic at work, something she never knew it existed.

Tessa, or rather the angel and her, turned around. Mortmain was hunched against a rock, a look of terror spread across his face.

"What is this work of magic?" Mortmain trembled, unable to look at Tessa directly. She eyed Will, staring at her with a mixture of amazement and confusion with those deep blue eyes.

"I am the angel Ithuriel," the angel spoke, the words bubbling out of Tessa's mouth. "I have been sworn to protect the Starkweather family since their inception. And you, Axel Mortmain, have threatened to eradicating the family, which is against what I do. And so, you shall perish."

"No you won't," Mortmain snarled. "You would never do such things. Angels are for the good."

"Yes we are, but you are quite the opposite," the angel shook its head. "And I will show you no mercy."

The angel reached out a giant hand, taking Tessa with it. It grabbed for Mortmain, and though he tried to dart away, he was far too slow. Ithuriel caught ahold of Mortmain and brought him up to eye level. Then with one swift move, it closed its hand around Mortmain until there was a sickening crunch.

Ithuriel loosened its fingers and unveiled Mortmain, lying limp in its hand. There was not a sign of life inside him. Slowly, Ithuriel lowered its hand and dumped Mortmain unceremoniously on the rocks.

Tessa, still in a state of shock, felt the energy slipping out of her. She began shrinking, returning to her normal state, feeling all too exhausted and fatigued. Black spots began appearing everyone, and she heard someone shouting her name. But she could care less, all she needed was sleep now.

The last thing she saw was Will's concerned face before she blacked out.

* * *

**Sorry this one was super short! I just didn't want it to drag out and all because then it would just be unnecessary. So yeah. Short and sweet.**

**So expect the next update next weekend. After this, the story is almost done. I just have a couple more excitements planned. Muhahaha.**

**Until next time peeps!  
**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	23. Surprises

**Hey peeps! I'm back faster than I expected. It's been a pretty light week for me, surprisingly, so I've literally been sitting in my room bored out of my mind. And then I was like 'hey, I should probably write now'. So I did, and you guys don't need to know the rest haha.**

**So I want to bring up a point that I've seen The Iron Sister and other authors here address. I feel like it's my turn too. I was disappointed by the reviews. I have to say, this is the least so far and I was unmotivated to continue. I hate being that person who wants more and more reviews, but it makes me think that people are not interested in my story. But then, I thought harder about it, and then I realized that I just have a fabulous group of readers who have fully supported me throughout this story in its entirety and that I will not give up. Especially since we are all so close to being done with this story.**

**That being said, there is no way that this is going to be discontinued. Not at this point. I still have a couple more things planned, so I'm anticipating another five chapters. I said that before, but I added to my brainstorm, so it may turn out longer than I expected.**

**Okay, I digress. Onto the review responses!**

**TheClockWorkGirl: It may just happen in this chapter ;)**

**TessaElsaHerondale: Hey there! Haha that's fine. Oh yeah I'll check my PM inbox soon! Duck dinner huh? That sounds delicious. Oooh and Paris. One of my all time favorite cities. I think I may put ducks later hehe. Though they are in the middle of an ocean... You'll have to see though! And is it a happy ending ;) Oooh I just love being so cryptic. Have fun at school in the meantime!**

**Lifeofme: You know, I'm not quite sure. There may or may not, but I want to focus on my other story. I am debating it though.**

**The-Finale-Hope: Here it is! Hopefully this makes up and cures your attack! Lol. **

**The elf from Alagesia: Thank you! Oooh that sounds interesting, I'll check it out. There's still more to this story, so hang on tight!**

**Personorwhatever: Haha soon!**

* * *

Tessa was on fire. Her body was burning and there was no way to escape from it. So was this how death felt? Had she finally reached the fiery pits of hell? Surely that wasn't where she belonged, but it apparently seemed like she was being sent there.

It all came up to her in flashes. The cave. Nate dying in her arms. Mortmain mocking her. Ithuriel. And last of all, Will gazing at her in admiration and amazement.

At least Tessa was dying knowing that an end at been put to all this madness. Mortmain was surely dead and did not complete his sacrifice. Her family would be safe for the time being, though she couldn't wrap her mind around what they would be feeling. Ever since her kidnapping, had they gone looking for her? They must have, though Tessa probably evaded them under multiple counts.

Visions swirled around Tessa's mind. She saw angels and death. She saw her friends, Jem, Cecily, and Sophie. And last, but not least, she saw Will.

"Do you think she'll wake soon?" echoed a voice in the distance. Surely she couldn't hear such a pleasant voice in such a hellish place.

"I dunno," said another voice, "she's been out for days now."

"How much longer?" said yet a different voice.

"There's no telling when…"

And then, Tessa succumbed to the darkness that completely overtook her.

* * *

Tessa eyes fluttered open and she propped herself into a sitting position, gasping for breath. Her hand flew over to her chest, where she felt the steady beat of her heart. She was alive.

"She's awake!" someone said. Tessa focused in the bright light and saw Charlotte hovering around her.

"What do you mean?" Tessa asked, wrinkling her eyebrows in confusion.

She felt warmth spread through her right shoulder and looked up. Jem. "You've been out cold for five days," he explained to her.

"I have?" Tessa said in surprise. So those were real voices that she heard earlier. "I thought I was dead."

"Of course not," Charlotte said hurriedly. "You were far from death, my girl. And I must say, but that was such a spectacle you put on back there in Cadair Idris. Wouldn't everyone agree?"

There was a chorus of agreement, and Tessa took the time to observe the room she was in. There were candles burning low in the room, and in combination with the bright light trickling from the window, it made the room seem especially bright. They were in the infirmary. Tessa hadn't been here in weeks, since the time Will was injured.

There were a lot of people in this crammed room, more than capacity actually. Jem stood to her right. Next to him was Charlotte, still giving her a worried expression, though she seemed to relax when Tessa smiled at her. Beside her was Henry, who seemed a million miles away. Magnus was grinning at her, and Tessa realized that she hadn't formally seen him since she was taken off her ship weeks back. Gideon and Sophie stood shoulder to shoulder in closer contact than Tessa realized. Usually Sophie was distant with boys, but something must have happened between these two. She had noticed it earlier. Gabriel, to Tessa's surprise, was next to Gideon, and no longer had the scornful expression across his face that he usually had. Tessa had forgiven him, she supposed, after he defended her and fought for her in Cadair Idris. Still, there was still an ounce of her that was unsure of him, and only time would tell if she could fully trust Gabriel. Cecily was by Gabriel, looking overjoyed. And then there was Will, sitting down on a chair next to the bed.

Will.

He had not said a word yet, and his face was extremely difficult to read. He had masked his features making it impossible for Tessa to discern what he was feeling. He had to be happy, hadn't he? Maybe he was shocked? Maybe like her, he thought she was dead. But no, Charlotte said they all knew that she would survive. At this moment she wished she could be alone with Will, but that would be an odd request to make at the moment.

"What happened then?" Tessa said. "Mortmain is dead, right?" She didn't know why she was asking, but the extra confirmation would help.

"As dead as a squashed bug," Magnus said. "Congratulations back there, my dear Theresa. For a warlock like myself, I can say that I've never seen anything quite like that."

"But what happened?" Tessa inquired yet again.

"Tessa, you are amazing!" Cecily said, jumping up and down. "I mean Mortmain was coming for you, and then you were going to kill yourself, but nooooo. Then BAM you turned into this golden thing –"

"An angel," Magnus corrected her, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh be quiet Magnus, this is my story to tell," Cecily scowled at him. Tessa laughed. "Anyway, you, or rather the angel and you, reached for Mortmain and then he was dead in the blink of an eye."

"And then?" Tessa pressed on.

"The rest was sort of a rush from there," Jem spoke up. "You turned back, but you were still ablaze. Will rescued you in time and rushed you back to _Ithuriel_. At the same time, such power made the cave unstable that it started to collapse right there. We made it back onto the ship and left immediately. Cadair Idris is no more, fortunately enough."

"My brother?" Tessa said, eyes wide.

Sophie looked down at the bed, avoiding Tessa's eyes. "I'm sorry Tessa. There wasn't enough time to retrieve anyone. We had to leave before any of us would get trapped there."

"And didn't your brother betray you?" Gabriel challenged her.

"He made up," Tessa said coldly. "And you're one to speak." She glared at him.

"I apologize," Gabriel said, receding into the shadows. "To you, Miss Gray, and all the rest of you. I was cruel and was clearly not thinking straight. I thought that doing what I did would bring honor to my family and allow my father to reclaim me, but I was wrong. I've learned that you are all the family that I have and you mean more than my father. I vow to stay by your side and I promise that nothing like that will ever happen again."

"How do I know you're not lying?" Tessa countered, still glaring at him.

"I fought by your side at Cadair Idris, didn't I?" Gabriel shrugged. "And I haven't attempted to do anything bad since."

"Oh, give him a rest Tessa," Cecily said, laying a hand on Gabriel's shoulder. He seemed to loosen his stance under her touch. "I think Gabe has had enough shit for a little while. Hopefully he stays true to his word. Or else…"

"It's all good," Gabriel said. "I promise I won't go against you lot again. I know where I belong and it's with this crew."

Tessa supposed this was good enough for now. "So then what?" she said, wanting to know more.

"Well, after Will brought you here, Charlotte got straight to work on healing you," Jem said. "At that point, you were passed out cold."

"Unfortunately, no normal medicines were working on you," Charlotte muttered, looking somber. "So I turned for Magnus for assistance. The fire was still inside you, but with Magnus's magic, he was able to remove it all and you were able to start the healing process. You are almost healed now. We were just waiting for you to wake up to tell us that you were well enough."

"Of course my magic worked," Magnus said nonchalantly. "Though you recovered faster than I imagined. You really are a wonder, Tessa Gray."

"I think it's best if we leave Tessa be for now," Charlotte announced. "We don't want to keep pressuring her for more. She needs proper rest to fully heal now."

Everyone agreed, and they trickled out of the cramped infirmary one by one. All left but one. Will.

"Hi," Tessa said awkwardly, turning to face him. His head was still bent down, his dark hair covering his face in a tangle of black. That was weird. She never felt awkward around Will.

"Tess," he breathed, and finally brought his head up, staring right at her. The way he was looking at her made her heart melt right on the spot. His dark blue eyes were open and full of desire and tenderness. "My Tessa," he exhaled once more.

"Will," she smiled at him, unable to contain her joy.

"Tess, I'm so sorry," Will said, shaking his head, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Why are you sorry?" Tessa asked in alarm.

"I thought you were dead," he said, exasperated. "Just watching you there in Cadair Idris. I had never seen anything so magnificent and glorious. That's what you were, Tess. Glorious. But after everything died down, I thought you were gone."

"But I'm not," Tessa said. "I'm here. With you."

"You must hate me for thinking that, though," Will mumbled, turning his head away in shame.

"Why would I hate you?" Tessa said in confusion. "It's understandable, knowing the circumstances. Thank goodness everything worked out fine in the end though."

"Yes," Will nodded in agreement. "I never knew you could do that, Tess."

"Neither did I," Tessa shook her head. Then a thought struck her. "The angel. It said its name was – is – Ithuriel. I can't stop but thinking that there is some connection to this ship."

"You know, I thought the same," Will said. "I asked Magnus about it, and he said that Ithuriel is the guardian angel of your family. He also said that your necklace was from your mother, so she must have known something about the power it contained. And this ship, well I stole it from the guardians of Idris in my early years. They were after me, of course, but soon dropped it after years. But you're right, Tessa. It is all connected."

"My necklace," Tessa gasped, her hand flying to her neck. She could not feel the familiar weight of the pendant dragging her head down. "It's gone."

"Ah, I forgot," Will said with a start. He fumbled through his trouser pockets and drew out her clockwork angel necklace. "I took it off you so Magnus could properly fix you. I kept it here for safe keeping, but now that you're much better, I suppose you can have it back."

"I would much like that," Tessa said.

Will stared at her with his dark blue eyes wide. There was a slight flush across his cheeks. "Do you mind if I put it on you?"

"Not at all," Tessa giggled. She sat fully up so that her back was facing Will. She felt Will rise from the seat he was sitting at as he deftly pushed her long brown hair over one shoulder. And then the cool metal was pressed against the hollow of her neck. She fingered the clockwork angel, familiar under her touch as Will fastened it tightly. Will put her hair back in place, and Tessa turned to him.

"That's much better," Will said. "Now, can I finish off where we left off?"

"What do you mean?" Tessa asked, taken aback.

With somewhat of a sigh of defeat, Will kissed her. It was a sweet kiss, not like the desperate one they shared back under the stars. Tessa wrapped her arms around Will and pulled him closer. She needed him close to her at all times, and she knew she would never let go.

Eventually, Will pulled away. "I should leave you be," he said, his lips swollen. "Charlotte did say that you needed to rest."

"Will, don't go," Tessa pleaded. "Just stay by my side. That will help me feel better."

"If you say so," Will said, with a crooked smile.

"Read to me," Tessa said. That was always one thing they would be on the same level as: books.

"I came prepared," Will bent down and picked up a book that was probably lying on the ground. He began reading to her in a seamless manner, and Tessa found herself drifting in and out of soundless sleep. His voice was perfect and enough to lull her to sleep. Will then ceased reading abruptly, and Tessa's eyes opened to see why.

Jem was standing at the threshold, his eyes glancing at both of them worriedly.

"James?" Will said in shock. "What is the matter?"

"Trouble," Jem said, sounding out of breath as if he ran all the way to the infirmary. "Above deck. We need you _now_."

"Very well," Will said in annoyance, "I shall be there soon."

Jem nodded and bounded away.

"I'll come," Tessa said, pushing the sheets off her. She was in a dressing gown, but saw a stack of clean clothes on the bedside table.

"No, Tess, save your strength," Will urged her.

Tessa had fully climbed out of bed, and to her surprise, she could stand firmly on the ground. She took a shaky step forward, but moved with ease. "I'm fine," she remarked. "And I'm coming, no matter what you say."

"Stubborn Tess," Will mused. "Well hurry and get changed. I'll be waiting outside the door."

Quickly, Tessa put on black trousers and her white shirt. Needle was also on the table, and she slipped that into her belt and pulled on a pair of black boots. Opening the door, Will was there, waiting for her.

"Come on," Will said, and took her hand, leading her away from the infirmary and onto the main deck. As they emerged, Tessa noticed it was crowded, more so than usual. And then she saw it. There was another ship, looming right behind _Ithuriel_. And the other people on board… they weren't even people to say the least. They weren't even part of _Ithuriel's_ crew, more like creatures.

And standing before them was a tall figure, with blue skin. Wait. Blue skin? Was Tessa imagining it? No, it was not an illusion, but a very real thing as they approached. He had a long snout and reptilian features across his face. He seemed to be sneering at everyone.

As they drew closer, Will gasped violently.

"What is it?" Tessa said in panic.

"Marbas," Will seethed.

* * *

**Dun dun dun. Told you he would come. And I think I'll leave it at that.**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	24. A Doomed End

**Hey, hey, hey. I'm back again! A week later. I am not giving up on this story, and I have brainstormed the rest of the chapters, so including this one, there are four left. Almost done guyz! Just hang on there :)**

**OH and we reached over 300 reviews! YAY!**

**Okayyyy review response time:**

**ASilverShadowhunter: Don't apologize at all! I'm just happy you're reading this story :) Sorry? I just love cliffhangers, as you can see hehe. I had to put Wessa in! It was too long since they were last together. Thank you so much for your kind words. It means a lot :). Anyways, I just had to add Marbas too. I'm making it different from TID too, so we'll see how it pans out. Enjoy this chapter though!**

**Vialovesbooks: Surprised you, didn't I? ;) You know that I love plot twists at the best possible moments. Here's the next update in the mean time! With possibly another twist hehe**

**SilverJem5: Thank you! Glad to know I have a good support base. Don't worry at all! I'm glad you're reviewing this one. Enjoy this chapter though! It is going to be interesting, but that's all I can say :)**

**The elf from Alagesia: Oooh things are no where close to being wrapped up. Okay, okay, maybe a little closer than before, but I still have surprises planned for y'all. Thank you again. Good that it's not repetitive or what not... I was scared that this was a little like my old fic, Forbidden Love. You are much too kind my friend :)**

**AthenaLesage: Yes another one! My favorite hehe. Hope you like this chapter!**

**The-Finale-Hope: Sorry! Not sorry actually muahahaha. I just enjoy torturing my readers *grins evilly*. There may be another in this chapter. I'm not gonna say anything, so read to find out!**

**Lifeofme: Yay Wessa! And thanks!**

**The Iron Sister: No don't worry at all! I feel like I do that on a lot of stories just because things get busy and what not so I totally understand. It's life after all. Yay wi-fi! We all need that, huh? I hope you had a good holiday. And grrrr school. I totally get you. I'm writing just so I don't have to do homework haha. Anyways, back to your review. Awww did Nate's death really feel that way? Yeah I decided to write him differently in this fic, like not quite the bad guy but rather a man with mislead intentions who realizes this later on, but it's too late to fix it. That aside, yay for Wessa! We all can't live without that. Haha crowned queen. We can be queens together then :D. But muhahahah cliffies. My favorite things ever. I just love watching all my readers react to it... it's the best part. Thank you once again for your kind words. They mean a lot to me. And the fact that you've been with this since the beginning... just wow. You will definitely be needing that Nutella for the end of this chappie. I promise you that much. Lol autocorrect. YAY you're my 300th reviewer! For that you receive a virtual Nutella dipped chocolate chip cookie :)**

**TheSlytherinAvenger: I totally get you! School can be a bit of a hassle, but at least you're back now! Thanks though! Good to know that it worked well. Yay cliffies! More to come too! Haha yeah I feel like you do love them... most people freak when they see cliffies. Stay tuned for more :D**

**Personorwhatever: Yay! Thanks! You're in for a treat :)**

**TheClockWorkGirl: Wessa woo hoo! Oooh we'll see about Marbas though**

**wolfeblaze1123: Yes, a cliffhanger :) Here's the update!**

**CookiesHerondale: Don't worry! Glad to see you're back. I understand... homework has been crazy busy for me too, so that's why I'm taking a while to upload. Right now it's light, so hopefully I can post again this weekend. Thanks! Yeah I was trying to make Mortmain as close to the Mortmain in TID with actually reasons behind doing whatever he wanted to do. Awww really? That makes me so happy knowing that :)**

**TessaElsaHerondale: Awww no! You're back at least! Yeah me too... it's such an amazing support group. I feel bad because I still have to look at your PM and read your story, so I'll get to it asap! Oh yes, Marbas is def up to no good. Classic villain. As for who is going to die, I'm not going to say anything. And that is if someone will die. Hehe. Wow speechless? I didn't realize I had that effect. It's different writing the story and then seeing how it affects my readers. I can say it's quite entertaining. That aside, I am in the process of writing a book. I started last summer actually, but then took a break and started up again. We'll see where it goes though. But if anything, I'll def acknowledge you :) In the meantime, enjoy this chapter!**

**BibliophilicLove: Awww. I hope you're feeling better! You'll find out what happens with Marbas in this chapter though! **

* * *

Will had gone completely white in the face, the color drained from its entirety. Tessa recalled the story that Will had mentioned to her before, about how his sister was killed by Marbas. Never had she imagined that she would actually see this very being before her.

To call him a man would be an understatement. Yes, he had a humanoid body, but his face was nothing like Tessa had ever seen before. She had heard tales of sea creatures and men who looked like them, and of course she knew who Marbas was. Everyone in Idris knew who he was. She just never thought he looked like _that_.

He was tall and slender, but muscular. He was wearing a red overcoat, much like the blue one Will always wore. But the color of his skin was the most unearthly blue that it almost appeared artificial. He turned to stare right at him, and only then did Tessa realize he had blood-red eyes. Not only that, but his face was nearly reptilian, scaly with a snakelike snout.

"Heron the Great," Marbas spoke with a rasping voice. "I finally have the pleasure of meeting you."

"The pleasure is not mine," Will said coldly, narrowing his eyes at the other pirate.

"I've heard all about you," Marbas went on as if Will hadn't said a word, "about how you are allegedly the most vile and feared pirate in the land. Well, let me tell you something. I am going to prove that you are not and in fact it is me."

Tessa felt a shudder pass through her body. Marbas was evidently dead serious, and then he turned to his men, who, like him, were no less humanoid too.

"Round them up!" he commanded his crew. "And if any of them attempt to escape, kill them."

Marbas's men moved towards Will's crew, following their captain's orders. As they made their way, they brandished sharp-tipped swords, taking the matter at hands very seriously. They surrounded everyone, and Tessa saw there was no way to escape; they were drastically outnumbered. Someone shoved her roughly by the shoulder, guiding her towards the edge of _Ithuriel_. She snuck a glance at Will to see he was being handled in a similar fashion.

As they approached the rail, Tessa saw that wooden planks were laid between the two ships as a way of moving about. She froze before, not daring to look down.

"Come on, we don't have all day," grumbled one the pirates, and he pushed her onto the plank. Tessa gulped and crossed over to Marbas's ship, careful to not let her eyes slip down. Will was there, and Tessa looked into his eyes to see pure horror and hopelessness written in his dark blue orbs.

Surely that couldn't be possible. This was Will, the man who had fought so bravely throughout the course of the journey and never gave up, no matter the fight. Even against Mortmain, he persisted. But here with Marbas, there was a terror that ran so deep through Will that even Tessa couldn't comprehend. However in him, there was a sort of vengeance in his eyes too. Did he wish to seek revenge on Marbas that he must have planned over the years? Only time would tell.

Tessa's hand automatically flew to her angel necklace. It had protected her in the past, back on Skull Island and Cadair Idris. Would it do so this time? Or had all of the energy been sucked out of it when she had defeated Mortmain?

Too many unanswered questions hurt Tessa's head. She looked up to see the rest of the crew had joined them. Normally patient Jem looked utterly confused. Sophie stood by Gideon, who both were terrified. Charlotte and Henry seemed frozen in their spot, not knowing what to do next. Magnus, not to Tessa's surprise, had a mischievous glint to his catlike eyes. Cecily, who was always fearless, looked fearful for the first time. Even Gabriel appeared nervous.

"Good, now I have all of you on my ship," Marbas said, gesturing at his own ship. It was similar to _Ithuriel_, though nowhere near in good condition. The place needed some immediate clean up and retouching, though that was the last of Tessa's worries.

"Bind them," Marbas instructed his crew, "and no one leaves here tonight."

* * *

Their hands were bound tightly in front of them, and Will and the rest of his crew were pushed against a wide pole on Marbas's ship, also tied to that. When Marbas was done, he stepped back, admiring his handiwork.

"So, you have us here," Will drawled. "What next?"

"I will kill you all," Marbas said.

"Not before I kill you," Will snarled.

"You have no right," Marbas spat at Will.

"I have every right!" Will shouted. Then the words began to bubble out before Will could think straight, and he said, "do you remember that day over six years ago? You were raiding through Idris and stopped at the Herondale mansion. There, you looted the whole place and killed Lord Herondale's eldest daughter because she was defending her brother. That boy was me."

"You? You are a Herondale?" scoffed Marbas. "I admit, it was a blur back then. You were a foolish boy and you deserve to die."

"I was a foolish boy," Will agreed. "But I am no fool now. This, I believe, is destiny and that you have been brought to me so I could finally avenge my sister Ella's death. I will find a way out and kill you, as I have waited too long for this."

"You are still a damned fool," Marbas sneered. "Your efforts are futile and you are outnumbered. We have you and all of your crew here captured, and there is no way out. I will kill each and every one of you one by one, and then you, Heron the Gray, can go and join your beloved sister." He said this last part as if it were poison.

Will was desperate now. He needed solutions, and fast. "How?" he said, his voice tight to his own ears.

"By walking the plank," Marbas grinned wickedly. "And I shall begin with her." He pointed at Tessa, who looked at Will in pure fright. No, there was no way that he was going to allow this to happen. He absolutely could not lose Tessa in this way again. There were too many close calls. He loved her too much.

One of Marbas's men hurried over to Tessa and cut the rope that bound her. Her hands were still tied in front, and he pulled her over to Marbas.

"You're a pretty one," Marbas said, examining Tessa with his malicious scarlet eyes. "Too bad that you'll be gone pretty sure."

Tessa lifted her chin defiantly at Marbas and bore her steely gray eyes right at him, though she said nothing.

"Marbas, you do not have to do this," Will yelled, trying to reason with the other pirate.

"Yes I do," Marbas said. "Come along girl. Don't be shy."

"No," Tessa said stubbornly.

Marbas sighed dramatically. "Very well, you leave me no choice." He seized her tightly by the arm and marched her over to the edge of the ship, where Will saw a wooden plank stretched ten feet above the deep ocean. Marbas and his men stood behind her as they hoisted her up the steps, so she had no way to get away.

"Tessa!" Will shouted. "You don't have to do this!"

"Yes she does," Marbas growled. "And she doesn't have a choice." He turned back to Tessa. "Well go on girl. We don't have all day to wait around."

Tessa gave one last solemn look at Will, then turned her back to them all as she walked the plank. Each step she took felt like a blow to Will's chest. He could feel his heart twist and contract as she moved further and further. This had to be stopped.

Tessa reached the edge of the plank. Just one more step and she would be gone forever. Will couldn't bear thinking about this. She lifted her leg to make the last move, when something happened.

And then all hell broke loose.

* * *

**dun dun dun. Again. So what do you think happened here? Did Tessa jump? Will Will (hehe) kill Marbas?**

**Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	25. Turning of the Tides

**Hiiiii I'm back again! I hope it wasn't too long of a wait after the last chapter. So I'll be quiet and let you all read on!**

**ASilverShadowhunter: Thank you! Awww did you really? Glad to know that it was captured well. Your words are much too kind. As for Marbas, you'll find out in this chapter. Oh gosh, the CP2 wait was brutal, wasn't it? And now we have to wait for TLH D: Just come faster! Anyways, enjoy this chappie!**

**The-Finale-Hope: Ahhh, I see you had a massive panic attack there. Well, hopefully this chapter will cure it. Haha. Hope this update was fast enough! Please don't die!**

**BibliophilicLove: That's good! Glad you're better :). As for all your predictions, well they'll all be answered in this update. And yes, Marbas deserves to go straight to the deep depths of Edom. Enjoy!**

**Slytherinavenger: Good! It should maketh thou happy! That's a relief... I was scared it was too short. Yeah it does take a while to plan. I always start with a general plan, but then ideas keep coming to me and it ends up a lot longer than I anticipated in the beginning. Like I was only expecting 18 chapters on this story, but we way surpassed it. Okay, end of story. Hope you like this chapter!**

**Wierdkinz: You'll find out! Oh wow, that didn't even occur to me. But you're definitely right!**

**The elf from Alagesia: Oh that's good. Thank you. :)**

**Personorwhatever: Oh, will he? (pun intended there). Oooh that's awesome! I wish I had that in my English class!**

**vialovesbooks: Sorry sorry sorry! You know I just love dem cliffies :D**

**Matilovesbooks: Thanks! I know I haven't, but I want to focus on this story first. It's my priority, and once I'm done with this one (which should be within the next week) then I'll update A World Apart. I have the next chapter all outlined, but first this.**

**TheClockWorkGirl: Haha if only!**

* * *

Sparks were flying everywhere. Will felt a burning sensation at his hands and glanced down to see that the ropes had been cut. He took a quick peek at all the others to see that they were also free, rubbing their wrists where the ropes were tied tightly before.

"What the hell is happening here?" roared Marbas, turning his attention to Will and his crew. "You," Marbas yelled and pointed towards them, though not at Will. Will followed his direction to see he was gesturing towards none other than Magnus Bane.

Magnus held his arm out, palm up and an orb of light was spinning around. He grinned wickedly at Marbas. "Yes, me?"

"Warlock," spat Marbas. "You can't do that."

"There's no saying what I can do," Magnus said, still grinning. "You don't control me and this is a free world. So in this free world, I can do magic as I pleased."

Marbas made a noise – a noise so inhuman that Will's bones rumbled in fear. He rounded on his men. "Kill them!" he commanded, and right away they all started brandishing weapons and charging to Will and his crew. Will thanked the Angel that they were at least all well equipped for this.

And the battle ensued. There was a clash of swords and a blur of men surrounding Will and the others. Out of the corner of his eye he saw more flashes of Magnus's magic piercing through Marbas's men. Will saw an opening through the crowd of men and ran through them.

Tessa stood there, still on the plank. Marbas and the others seemed to have forgotten that she was there, and Will felt relief as he approached her. He could vaguely hear the interplay behind him, but was fully focused on the girl before him.

"Tessa," Will breathed, as he reached her. He pulled out a dagger and cut her bonds, which fell to the ground with a thud.

"Will," Tessa said, and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a tight, but brief hug. She released him, then looked at him with her stormy gray eyes. "Well what are you waiting for? Let's get on with it and fight."

"Fight?" Will repeated.

"Yes, you heard me right," Tessa said stubbornly. "We are going to fight. Both you and me."

"Tess no, it's too dangerous," Will said, trying to reason with her.

"You can't stop me," she challenged him, and before he could reply, she dashed off into the crowd, pulling Needle out from her belt. Will cursed under his breath and drew out his own sword, following her into the melee.

He was surrounded by a blur of colors. His men were easy to spot in their traditional black and white garb. Marbas's men, on the other hand, wore a plethora of colors that they were a little to easy to see. Will began slashing all around him, ducking when a sword came too close. One particular pirate came eye to eye with Will and struck out before Will could think twice. He stepped deftly to the side, but the pirate struck again. He heard a whoosh by the side of his head and felt himself go down to see yet another pirate behind him. Will elbowed him hard and jabbed his sword backwards. There was a sickening crush and the pirate crumpled to the ground. Will sighed in relief, but that was short-lived; the other pirate came forward and Will didn't have enough time –

And then that pirate sunk down to the floor. Will looked up to see Jem grinning at him.

"Thanks, James," Will muttered, rubbing his sore arm.

"I always got your back, William," Jem said, before running back into the fight in a flash of silver.

Will stood to get up to observe the scene. He saw Gideon and Sophie fending off a group of pirates on the opposite side of the deck. They seemed to be working well together as a team, swiftly bringing each one down. Charlotte, Henry, and Gabriel were in the other direction, handling more of the pirates. Henry seemed to be fumbling with some invention of some sort. When he threw it down to the ground, it exploded in a puff of black smoke and coughing filled the air.

And then that's when Will heard a scream. A distinctly feminine scream.

He whirled around to see Cecily, Jessamine, and Tessa, back to back, facing a horde of ten pirates. A surge of rage coursed through Will's body and he took off in a blinding spring. He reached them and slashed out at the pirates, not even thinking it through as they fell down in a heap of blood. Not dead, but quite unconscious at the moment. He had carved a way through the pirates so he was with the two of them. Tessa opened her mouth to say something when her eyes widened in horror. Will spun around to see another ten pirates angrily running to them. Seriously, how many men did Marbas have? There seemed to be a lot more than this ship could hold.

"Stay behind me," Will mumbled quietly to them.

"You don't have to tell us what to do," Cecily scowled. "We could handle this perfectly fine."

"Well, you obviously handled it well," Will retorted.

"Will you two shut up?" Tessa snapped. "We have some more important matters to handle here."

And before the Herondale siblings and Jessamine could say anything more, Tessa took off, moving her sword in fluid motions and bringing the men down. Will watched her in amazement before shaking his head and joining her, Cecily and Jessamine right on his heels. Their victories only lasted fleetingly; more men had appeared out of the blue. Will knew their efforts were growing more and more futile, and their energy would only last so long.

And then there was another flash and all the men crumpled to the ground. Magnus Bane stood before them, sparks flying from his slender tips of his fingers.

"Well, that was easy," smirked Magnus.

"Be quiet warlock," Will said. "There's still a hell of a lot more we have to defeat."

"Will, it's never going to end this way. The root problem is much bigger than you expect it to be. Strength and force isn't enough," Magnus said cryptically.

Will scrunched his forehead in confusion, and then glanced over Magnus's shoulder. There, standing at the stern of the ship above the brawl, was Marbas. He was unharmed, choosing not to partake in the fight, and make his men do the dirty work. What a coward. Even though Will was the captain of his ship, he would never passively stand back and watch from afar.

"I have some business to attend to," Will said without looking at the others, his gaze still transfixed on Marbas.

"Will, no!" Tessa exclaimed.

"Tessa, do be quiet," Will shushed her. "You know I have to do this. For my own sake." He turned away, not wanting to let her gray eyes distract him and crept off towards his final target.

Marbas didn't hear him. Or so it seemed. Will went up one of the sets of stairs on the side, and Marbas did not even move as Will came closer. Carefully, Will raised his sword to strike him down –

_Clang._

Marbas's arm was raised high, his sword blocking Will's attack. Will swore he didn't see Marbas move his arm, but now was not the time to dwell on that.

"Did you really think that I didn't see you there, Heron the Great?" Marbas mocked. "I am an older, smarter, and much more experienced pirate than yourself. And I am going to prove the whole world that when I strike you down once and for all."

"No you won't," Will grunted, pulling his leg back and kicking Marbas down to the ground. Marbas fell and Will held his sword at the other pirate's throat.

"Do you really think it was that easy, boy?" Marbas mocked. "See if you can handle this." Faster than Will could even say anything, he was down on the ground and Marbas was hovering above him, a dark shadow in the light of the sunset. Will felt a searing pain jolt through his side. He glanced there to see Marbas had kicked him there.

"Did that not hurt? Let me try it again," Marbas shouted, and then kicked again, even harder. Will whimpered in pain, but dared not to reveal anything further. He could not allow his enemy to think he was weak. Will scrambled to prop himself up and reach for his sword beside him, when it flew to the other side of the wooden boards.

"You need your sword, don't you?" Marbas scoffed. "Well, too bad."

He brought his arm down, and Will did was necessary. He bit Marbas's hand.  
Marbas howled in pain, glancing down at his scaly arm and dropping his sword to the ground. Yes, Will knew it was disgusting, but it was self-defense and completely necessary. "You bastard," Marbas roared. "You will pay for this and rot in hell." He reached for Will and grabbed his neck, closing in, trying to asphyxiate Will. Will's arms dangled limply beside him, and black spots began to fill his sight. Will reared back and kicked Marbas square and hard in the stomach. Marbas yelled again and Will crashed to the ground, landing painfully on his side. That didn't matter though. He had to defeat Marbas.

Will got up and limped to where his sword lay twenty feet away. As he moved, he stole a peek behind him to see Marbas hurled over, clutching his stomach tightly. Will took advantage of this and sped up, trying to get to his sword as fast as possible. He was getting closer and closer by the second. It was only two feet away, and reached to grab it when he was hurled backwards, crashing into a tower of heavy wooden barrels. Will had only enough time to roll to the side to avoid them from colliding into him.

"You are proving much more difficult to kill, young Herondale," Marbas snarled. "But face it, you're weak and weaponless. I now have two swords and you have none, and you will die soon. Just like I hoped you would."

Will crouched down, and Marbas avoided the barrels that came hurtling towards him. Will saw out of the corner of his eye that one barrel was on it's side, still stationary. Marbas glanced at Will, then pulled his head back, rearing into a menacing fit of laughter. Will took advantage of this distraction and crawled over to the barrel. Then with all his might, he pushed the barrel, which was much heavier than it looked, to Marbas.

The blue-skinned pirate didn't have enough to react. He gasped as the barrel knocked him straight down, the swords flying out of his hand. One of them skittered towards Will's feet, and Will saw that it was not his sword, but Marbas's. His own was by the other pirate, who was down on the ground, wincing in pain. There wasn't enough time. Will picked up Marbas's sword and made off towards him.

Marbas noticed Will coming towards him and picked up Will's sword. He was too slow. In that moment, Will lunged straight for Marbas's heart.

Marbas let out a ear-splitting shriek. Blood pooled on top of his white shirtfront and seeped through his elegant coat. He looked up at Will with his scarlet eyes with pure hatred, a filmy layer on top of them. And then, he collapsed to the ground.

Will sunk to the ground, unable to register what had just happened. He heard faint shouts, commands, screams from below, but he was in too much of a shock to know what they were saying. He felt a pair of arms wrap around him, pulling him away from Marbas. He glanced up to see Jem hauling him along, away from Marbas's body and towards the wooden plank.

Jem helped Will down the plank and back to _Ithuriel_. Will leaned against the rail, facing Marbas's ship.

"Where is everyone?" Will asked, breathing heavily.

"We're here," said a voice, and Tessa reappeared at his side. "All your men made it safely."

"They're not my men," Will said, wincing and holding his stomach tightly. "We are all a family."

"Hush William, save your strength," Jem said gently.

"Is everyone on board?" Will distantly heard Magnus Bane say.

"Yes," Jem said.

"Very well," Magnus nodded. There was flash and the wooden planks fell down to the water with a splash. He threw his hands forward and a brilliant jet of strong light flew out and hit Marbas's ship. There was a deafening _BOOM_ and the ship began to sink until it was no longer there.

"Take her away, Henry!" Magnus commanded. Will felt a jolt and the ship began to race along the waters. It was going faster than normal, and he glimpsed down to see little sparks here and there. Magic. Magnus must have been really desperate to get away.

And Marbas was finally gone.

* * *

Will sighed in exhaustion as he leaned back against his chair. He buried his face in his hands, rubbing his eyes while he was at it. Night had fallen, and Will had retired to his quarters. Jem and Tessa followed him there, and Will grudgingly allowed them to do so. Charlotte had patched him up by putting bandages and rubbing salve on his sore spots. However, he was more mentally drained than physically so.

"I can't believe I did that," Will groaned, trying his best not to think of what had happened.

He felt a surge of warmth on his shoulder and his veins caught on fire. He lifted his head up to see Tessa watching him carefully, rubbing his shoulder gingerly. He didn't want her to stop.

"You know it was necessary Will," she said not unkindly. "He would have killed you otherwise. You know that all of us would not allow that to happen."

"Tessa's right," Jem agreed. "And isn't this what you always wanted? To avenge Marbas?"

Will slowly nodded. "It was what I wanted, but not in that way. Never in a million years would I think that I would kill a man. Or creature. Or whatever Marbas is – was. Now I have his blood spilt on my hands."

"And now he's dead William, thanks to you," Will said, looking down at him through his shock of fair hair. "Imagine what would have happened to Marbas if you didn't kill him. He had already killed so many people, your sister included. By killing Marbas, you saved hundreds of other lives."

"All these years I've built a wall," Will went on, as if Jem hadn't spoken. "That wall was to protect those I loved so they wouldn't perish under my own foolishness as Ella did. I developed the persona to make people think that I was vicious and that I had murdered many in my wake, when in truth I hadn't physically harmed a single soul. And now that image has been shattered."

"It already had been," Jem corrected him.

Will looked up at him with his startling dark blue eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Do not deny it. I have definitely noticed it, and so have you," Jem continued. "Your walls have been crumbling, especially in these past few weeks. And do you think we really believed you had killed all those souls? No. This crew – your family – has stuck by your side at all times and we have seen the truth. You are a good man, Will."

"One of the best I've ever known," Tessa chimed in, smiling at him. Will immediately felt his heart lighten up. "I mean what I say, Will. What you did out there was out of there was out of pure bravery. Vengeance, yes, but you had your reason. And I will never look at you any different. And I know no one here will judge you for what you did. We all believe in you and have faith in you. You will still, and always be Will Herondale to us."

Will turned away from them, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "It's getting late."

"Yes," Tessa said. "Don't dwell on this too much Will. You need rest, and then you shall feel better in the morning." He turned back and looked at her, and she was still smiling at him. She lifted his chin up and placed a kiss on his temple. "Good night, Will."

Will heard her footsteps pad away, and then the door open and close. It was growing late. Jem began to make his way to the door, but Will stopped him.

"James, wait," Will said, and Jem stopped midway through the room.

"What is it?" Jem inquired, his silver eyes alight with curiosity.

"I've made up my mind," Will said simply.

"About the whole Marbas deal?" Jem asked, arching a delicate eyebrow.

"Not entirely," Will shook his head.

"So you're still angry with yourself?" Jem sighed, bending his head low.

"I wouldn't say that. No Tessa convinced me," Will mused. "She's right, and so are you."

"I'm glad she did," Jem smiled, and then paused and said, "You love her, don't you?"

"Yes, I do," Will said, unashamed about it. "I love her with all my heart. Though my love has caused her and the rest of this crew pain and suffering. I cannot watch as she gets in danger, for the blame will be all mine. I have reached my decision."

"And what is that?" Jem narrowed his eyes at Will.

"We shall return to Idris first thing tomorrow morning. It's time that Tessa Gray returns home."

* * *

**So I hope the fight scene was good. Gah I suck at writing those... they're just so difficult to capture.**

**Other than that, thoughts on this chapter? We're getting pretty close to wrapping things up. So review, favorite, follow, and show the love! Until next time!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	26. Return

**Hi hi I'm tired, and I'm not in much of a mood to say much, so here are the review responses:**

**ASilverShadowhunter: Oh no! That's the worse :( Thanks! Glad you liked it. Yeah no cliffies for a change haha. As for Tessa, it'll be answered in this chapter. There may be one more plot twist ahead though. Idk, it's up for readers to decide haha. Thanks for your review though! You'll find out more now :D**

**The-Finale-Hope: Sorry :( It had to happen sooner or later! Yay you survived! Now survive the rest of this story :)**

**millisiana: Don't worry at all! Totally get you. Wow you've been counting? Impressive. Enjoy!**

**Matilovesbooks: You'll see ;) Too many spoilers. Awww thanks girl! That means a lot :)**

**The elf from Alagesia: It really is. Cassie has a pure gift at describing those. Thanks as always :)**

**Guest: Sorry! *grins evilly* **

**BiblophilicLove: Haha sorry! It had to happen sooner or later. Thanks :)**

* * *

The next couple of days passed by with no interruptions. It was a queer feeling for Tessa, since for the last few weeks they had encountered numerous obstacles along the way. To be sailing with nothing stopping them was quite odd indeed.

Tessa spent most of her time in the quaint library below deck that Will had shown her before the mutiny. And before the night under the stars. That felt like ages ago, almost like a distant dream. But it was real, as Will and the rest of the crew – Jem, Cecily, Sophie, Gideon, Charlotte, Henry, Gabriel, even Jessamine – were all real. Although, at the moment they all seemed preoccupied.

Tessa had been secretly hoping to have some alone time with Will, but that hadn't happened. She only saw him during meals and in passing through the corridors, but he had this aloofness to him that was not there before. Often times he was locked in his quarters with Jem and Henry, doing furtive business of some sorts.

"What is it that he's busy with in there?" Tessa had asked Jem the day before. She had been standing beside him by the rail, overlooking the ocean. The sun was beginning to set, casting an orange hue across the waters.

"He's just trying to navigate the sea, that's all," Jem had shrugged, though by the tone of his voice, he was definitely hiding something.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Tessa had said, turning to Jem and narrowing her eyes.

"Will's business is his own," Jem had said. "I'm only there to help him out."

"I wonder where we're going next," Tessa had pondered.

"You shall find out soon, Theresa Gray," Jem had said cryptically, then sauntered away from Tessa, leaving her alone.

Tessa still stood at the rail, though the sun was starting to creep out from behind the clouds. They had sailed for a total of three days, and there was still no land in sight. She wondered what they had next in store. With Mortmain defeated and Marbas dead, it seemed like all of their adventures had come to a halt.

"Tessa," said a voice behind her. She whirled around to see Sophie standing there. Sophie. She was the one constant that Tessa had by her side through this whole journey. Even though they were separated here and there, they had still reunited at some point or another.

"You didn't call me 'Miss'," Tessa mused. "What is it?"

Sophie flushed. "Mind if I join you?"

"Of course." Tessa gestured to the space beside her, and Sophie came to stand. Tessa always forgot how the other girl was the same height as her, and for a change Tessa didn't have to look down when addressing someone. The perks of being a tall girl, she supposed.

"Where is Gideon?" Tessa asked out of pure curiosity. Sophie seemed to be spending a lot with the other boy, and two had definitely gotten closer. Though, Tessa thought to herself, it was the same story with Will.

"Oh," Sophie blushed a beet red, "he's busy. Has some duties to finish up."

"Ah I see," Tessa nodded her head. "He seems like a nice boy, don't you think?"

"Please don't tell anyone, Miss Tessa," Sophie said hurriedly.

"Sophie, how many times ought I tell you not to call me that?" Tessa said. "And of course I won't. Who would I tell?"

"Well, if the people at home…" Sophie trailed off.

"Home?" Tessa heard her own voice reverberating in her own head. By the Angel, she hadn't been home in so long. So much had happened since she had last been home that it was impossible to wrap her head around the very thought. It was as if she nearly –

"You haven't forgotten, have you?" Sophie interrupted sternly.

"Of course not," Tessa said, a little too fast. "It's just, after all the adventures that we've been on for the last few weeks, I never dreamt that we'd ever see home again. It is as if it no longer exists, like it is its own island that we will never reach."

"But it is real, Tessa," Sophie said firmly. "It's where you and I both belong."

"Do you ever think we'll see it again?" Tessa asked. She realized with a pang that she missed her parents, the palace at Idris, the streets of the city, and though she would never admit, but a little life of royalty. Though Tessa much preferred this new life of thrill and adventure, there was still an innate part of her that longed for what she once had.

But change was good. And she liked this new change, and the new friends that she had made.

"I think we will," Sophie said, though her voice quavered ever so slightly.

Tessa returned to her attention back to the sea before them to see a thicket of fog had formed. As _Ithuriel_ trudged her way through the fog, it began to peel back, revealing what lay before them. Land.

Not any land. It was a land with a city. As they approached, Tessa could see a port and small structures dotting the water. And beyond that was a palace, one she hadn't seen in forever.

"Sophie," Tessa said breathlessly. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes," said a voice, but not Sophie. Will reappeared at her side, though he was not looking at her, but rather at the scene unfolding before them. "Welcome home, Tess," he whispered in her ear.

* * *

Home. It felt a million miles away, and yet she was here. As Tessa walked the gangway along with the rest of the crew, she felt a buzzing sensation run through her body, followed by a nervous set of flutters in her stomach. What were her parents going to do when they saw her? They probably thought she was missing or worse off, dead.

As she walked the streets, she saw a sign on the side that caught her eyes. She quickly skimmed it and gasped when she was done, turning to walk forward.

Apparently her parents were offering a handsome sum for her return. As Tessa suspected, they thought she, along with her "brother", were missing and were giving more money than Tessa thought they had to whoever returned them. Or more like her at this point in time. She glimpsed over at Will to see if he had read the signs – they were all over now – but his expression was guarded.

Was Will going to turn her over? Was that why he was keeping a distance from her? No, it couldn't have been… he had said that he loved her and had treated her with utmost kindness and respect. He couldn't have. Unless…

"Will," she began to say, but they were stopped abruptly.

"We're here," he said without glancing at her.

Indeed they were. They were standing in front of a grandiose stone structure, made entirely of pearlescent white stone. It appeared as pristine as it ever had before. Tessa couldn't believe they were there, yet they truly were.

There were guards lined up in front of the gates, as there always were. She recognized one of them, as they came close. Cyril Tanner.

"Miss Tessa?" he sputtered, disbelief crossing his face.

"Hello, Cyril," Tessa smiled.

"You're back," he said, shaking his head.

"So I am," Tessa said.

"Well, I – do come along," Cyril said, as the gates drew back, fully revealing the palace. "Your companions can come as well."

They followed Cyril through the great gates and into the entrance of the palace. It was as if Tessa never left, as she stepped through and walked along the long corridor. She new exactly where Cyril was leading them to: the throne room.

The doors opened, revealing the grand room before them. At the far end were two thrones, nearly identical in size. In them sat a man with dark brown hair and a trim beard, and to his right was a woman with fair hair and light blue eyes. King Richard and Queen Elizabeth. Tessa's parents.

"Theresa?" her mother was the first to speak.

"Hello mother," Tessa smiled weakly. "Father." She nodded at her father.

Relief passed through both of their eyes, and Tessa felt a huge weight drop off of her. They grinned at her, and Tessa returned it.

"It's been far too long, my daughter," her father spoke at last.

"What are you wearing, Theresa?" her mother said, narrowing her eyes at Tessa. A princess was never supposed to wear such revealing clothes. They were fitted for only proper dresses and the sorts.

"Oh this?" Tessa indicated to her clothes by tugging on the sleeves.

"Who are these companions?" her father asked before she could say anything more.

"Oh them," Tessa gestured to all of them. "They're who brought me back. This is – "

"Heron the Great," King Richard said, his voice trembling and eyes widening. "Guards!" boomed Richard. "Sound the alarm. And arrest all of them."

* * *

**Oops? Guess you'll find out what happens next soon. Next update: this weekend! Hopefully.**

**Which is good timing because things are starting to get hectic at school. And I'm now running out of steam on this story. And on top of that, I've been passing time watching Teen Wolf hehe. Instead of doing work. But hey, that's life.**

**So continue being amazing! Because we're almost done!**

**~The Pale Red Queen**


	27. A New Adventure

**Last update here we go! Important A/N at the end of this.**

**Evil Ducks: Hehe, oops?**

**SilverCarstairs: Hi there! Thank you, as always. I just love my cliffhangers, don't I? I just love torturing you, eh?**

**The-Finale-Hope: Sorry sorry sorry! Haha before class is always the best.**

**Matilovesbooks: Yup, arrest them. No worries, it'll all be explained in this chapter. Enjoy it!**

**BiblophilicLove: Don't worry about it! At least you saw it now. Haha everyone seems to be freaking out, and I love it. Awww is that so? That's sweet. Well, enjoy this other Christmas present!**

**Personorwhatever: I feel like you've been reviewing all my chapters, so thank you! I get you though... school is such a bummer. You'll find out soon what happens. Eep get some sleep in the mean time!**

**The elf from Alagesia: Thank you! Hopefully this chapter wraps it up. Hope you like it :)**

* * *

"No, father, you can't!" Tessa shouted at King Richard, as the guards surrounded Will, Jem, and the rest of the crew and seized all of them.

"Yes Theresa, I can," the king bellowed angrily. "He is a known fugitive and must be stopped. I bet he only took you for the grand sum of money that I am offering for your return."

"It's not like that!" Tessa yelled in frustration. "Please, just hear me out."

"No, I will have none of that," Richard snarled. He turned to his guards and said, "take them away! And throw them in the prison… I will decide what to do with them later."

They began to shove Will and the rest of them through. Will glanced over his shoulder and dark blue eyes met Tessa's, desperation written all over them.

"Hold it!" shouted another voice. There was a burst of light, and then all the guards were laying on the floor, unconscious. And standing amongst them was Magnus Bane.

"Magnus?" Richard said in disbelief. "How – what – I didn't even see you there."

"Oh, but I was there the whole time," Magnus said with a dramatic wave of his hand. "And please listen to Tessa. You know you have to."

Richard stared at Magnus long and hard. Tessa knew that look right away, and through it understanding passed between the both of them. The king trusted Magnus with his own life and would always take his word.

"Very well," Richard sighed greatly. "I always take your best judgment Magnus. Bring them forward, guards."

The guards stepped forward and unceremoniously dropped Will, Jem, and everyone else on the floor. Richard glared at them, and then turned to Will.

"Tell me everything, Heron the Great. And if you lie, then consider yourself dead and gone," he commanded him.

Will did as he was told. He started from the beginning, about how he was commissioned by Mortmain to kidnap Tessa for the price of immortality. Then, he went on to say how he attacked her ship, but spared the crew. Will went into quick detail about the remainder of their voyage: the Devil Tavern and de Quincey, Tortuga, the kraken, Skull Island, change of plans, the mutiny, Cadair Idris, and finally Marbas. He did skip out on a few of the details, like about him and Tessa, but other than that, his retelling was completely true with not a single lie in it all. When he was finished, Richard and Elizabeth were both looking at him, eyes wide.

"So what you're saying, boy, is that Mortmain, my best trader ever, was using my daughter to complete his plans?" King Richard drawled.

Will nodded, not saying a word.

"And this is all true, Magnus?" Richard said, redirecting his attention on Magnus.

"Yes, it is," Magnus verified. "Not a word out of place."

"And what of Nathaniel?" Richard said. Tessa felt a jolt through her body. Nate was not even mentioned in Will's retelling of their tale. It was her story to tell after all.

"He's dead," Tessa said with a twinge of sadness.

"My Nate?" Elizabeth said in shock, throwing her hand over her heart. "It can't be."

"It is," Tessa said numbly. "He's the one who betrayed me, mother. He and Mortmain were behind everything in the end."

"That's not possible," Richard whispered hoarsely, shaking his head as if not wanting to believe it.

"Why did you never tell me the truth?" Tessa countered. "About Nate. He was never really my brother, was he?"

"No," Elizabeth said, tears brimming her blue eyes.

"Why hide it then?"

"We wanted to protect you, Tessa."

"Protect me from what?" Tessa narrowed her eyes. "What good did it do? I found the truth, and Nate was who he really was. If it wasn't for Will and the rest of his crew, then I would have probably been dead and this kingdom would have fallen under the wrong hands."

"Will?" said Richard in alert, then his eyes fell on Will.

"Don't tell me you didn't recognize him for who he really is, your majesty," Magnus said.

"That face," Richard said, scanning Will fully. "I know it from somewhere."

"Heron the Great is really William Herondale," Magnus said.

"Edmund Herondale's son," Richard gasped. "But you're gone. You disappeared and were never found. We all thought you were dead."

"Missing does not be dead," Will said so quietly that everyone had to strain to hear.

Richard sunk back into his chair, burying his head in his hands.

"You see, your majesty, this boy did no wrong," Magnus said gently. "Will had only just built the notorious persona of Heron the Great to protect those he cared about. There is no right to arrest him. Let the boy and the rest of his crew go."

There was a long pause. The king bent over to the queen and whispered something into her ear. She nodded and then, Richard said, "I believe you. William Herondale, come here."

"Will," Will corrected him automatically.

"Will," Richard said, giving a slight smile. "Step forward. No need to be afraid."

Will looked over at Tessa, who urged him to go. Then, he reluctantly went towards the steps and ascended them, up to where Richard and Elizabeth were seated. Tessa was close enough to the thrones to hear what they were saying.

"Take the money," Richard instructed Will.

"I – what?" Will said, sounding surprised and unsure of himself.

"The money for our daughter's return," Richard reiterated. "You brought her safely back to our family, and we have to repay you somehow. I will give you the money."

"I can't," Will said.

"What?" Richard said in shock. "It's a handsome sum of money, my boy. Take it. It's the least we can do for you."

"I will not have the money," Will said again. "All I wanted is for Tessa to come home safely. She belongs with you. Thank you for the offer, but keep it for yourself, sir." With that, Will bowed and stepped back down, joining Tessa's side. She looked over at him, but his face was devoid of emotions.

"How would you like for you and the rest of your crew to stay here at the palace?" Richard asked, clearly not done with rewarding Will. "We have plenty of space, and you could all be our guests here."

"Thanks, but no thanks your majesty," Will said tightly. "Time is much too tight. We have places to go and things to explore."

Tessa gave him a questioning look at this, but Will completely avoided her eyes.

"Alright then," Richard said, seeing it was pointless to argue with a stubborn Will. "We'll hold a feast. For Tessa's homecoming, and it shall be tonight. How about that?"

* * *

A salty and spicy aroma wafted through the air. The wall between the great dining hall and the ballroom was split open and people spilled inside both of the rooms.

Tessa was seated at the head of the table, alongside her mother and father. She was dressed in a fine rose-colored dress, with the sleeves falling off her shoulders in a modest fashion and the neckline slightly low. She realized she hadn't worn a dress since her first dinner with Will. Her dark brown hair was pinned up in a bun, with a few tendrils perfectly boxing her face. She was wearing a pearl necklace with matching pear earrings, along with pears adorning her hair.

She watched as people flitted about the room. Other guests kept coming up to her, congratulating her on her safe return, though Tessa wasn't really in the mood for talking to people. The news of her homecoming spread like wildfire. She was a princess in the long run, and a princess of her stature missing for over a month would certainly go unnoticed. The people of Idris were thrilled to see her back, though Tessa did not match this feeling.

Will, Jem, Cecily, Jessamine, Gabriel, Gideon, Charlotte, and Henry circulated around the room. They were all wearing evening dress, much like Tessa. Even pirates knew how to dress well for the occasion. People had also learned the truth behind Heron the Great and who he truly was. So for that matter, people were giving Will more curious stares, rather than hateful ones.

Though what Will was saying earlier still perplexed Tessa. Was he really going to leave? Were they all going to leave? And without a warning too. Tessa didn't know what she did to them to deserve this, but her emotions were more subdued compared to what she expected them to be. She had caused them so much trouble, but she still wanted to be with them. Not only Will, but Jem, Cecily, Gideon, even Gabriel.

A shadow loomed above Tessa, and she glanced up. Will. Behind him was the rest of the crew.

"Will," Tessa smiled.

"Tessa," Will said stiffly. Even the other were avoiding eye contact.

"Hello there Will," said Elizabeth, looking at him. Richard did so too.

Will cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well, um, I would just like to thank you all. For everything." He stared directly at Tessa for that. Then he went on, saying, "your hospitality is much appreciated by all of us, but we best be going on our way."

"You're going already?" Richard said in alarm. "But you only just arrived."

"Yes, and we best be on our way," Will said rather abruptly.

"You and your crew are always welcome back here," Elizabeth smiled sweetly.

"Thank you," Will said. "When we come back, we will do so."

Richard and Elizabeth nodded. Tessa said nothing.

"Well, we best get going," Will announced to them. "Night travel is the best time."

Will turned around and walked away, with Jem and the rest on his heel. Sophie, however, lingered behind.

"Sophie?" said Elizabeth.

"Ma'am," Sophie said uneasily. "I was wondering – "

"Go ahead, Sophie," Richard nodded at her. "You did a wonderful job serving us, and you shall do as you desire."

Sophie blushed and hurried along with the rest of the crew, taking her spot next to Gideon. Tessa watched as they left the dining room, a gentle tear rolling down her cheek.

"Aren't you going to go too?" Elizabeth said, to no one in particular.

"What?" Tessa said.

"You are going to go after them. After him."

"I'm – no I'm not," Tessa stated. "I belong here with you and father. The palace life is my home."

"We know you better than anyone else, Theresa," her father said firmly. "And we know that you've never enjoyed it. Seeing you with the crew, the way they all looked at you and you them, that is what you are. You belong with them. And as your mother said, him."

"Him?" Tessa repeated.

"Will," Elizabeth said softly. "You love him, don't you? I can see it in your eyes, my daughter. And I know that whatever hard exterior he put, he feels for you in return."

Tessa swallowed hard. "I do," she choked out.

"Then, make us happy and go with them," Elizabeth urged on. "Go have adventures and fill your life with stories. And when you return, you will always have a home with us."

"Are you sure?" Tessa's own voice sounded small to her.

"Positive," Richard said. "We love you, Tessa."

And Tessa rose from her seat to leave.

* * *

Tessa made her way through the docks. She could see _Ithuriel_ anchored where they had all left it at the edge of the port. Small figures were moving about, boarding and loading goods on the ship. At the base of the gangway stood Will, still dressed in his evening clothes. He seemed to be observing the ship, though not doing much. Tessa quietly approached him.

"I know you're there, Tessa," Will said without turning around to look at her.

"You are not going to leave without me, were you?" Tessa said. "Because I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not," Will sighed heavily, still not facing her.

"Yes I am," Tessa said, lifting her chin up. "I know you are saying no, but secretly inside you, you know that you want me to come."

"It's too dangerous, Tess," Will mumbled. "I don't want you to get hurt. There have been too many close calls."

"Will, life is full of risks. I have learned through my time with you that you have to take them as they come. Only then do you become a stronger and much more realized person. How else am I supposed to fulfill my potential if I just sit back and wait for you and everyone else to return? That is not me, and you know it."

Will finally whirled around to face her, his blue eyes boring into her gray ones. In the pale moonlight, they appeared even darker and a truer hue of blue.

"Has anyone ever mentioned how stubborn you are?" he said, a faint smirk playing upon his lips.

"No one is more stubborn than you, William Herondale."

"That's what you think," Will winked at her. "And must I say, but you look particularly lovely in a dress. Actually, lovely isn't quite the word. Radiant."

"Thanks," Tessa blushed. "Though I much prefer the clothes your crew wears. How else is a lady supposed to fight without being held back by this choking device."

Will laughed. "And who says I do not enjoy the view."

"Will!" Tessa reprimanded him, and they both started laughing together. When they were done, Will stared at her long and hard. In a few quick strides, they were standing face to face, barely an inch apart. Then, he unexpectedly closed the gap by pressing his lips around hers. Tessa entwined her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her, desperate for the proximity. They stood like that for a while, kissing and fully absorbed in each other. They drew back and Will pressed his forehead against hers, breathing heavily.

"Come with me, Theresa Gray," Will said between breaths.

"So that finally convinced you," Tessa croaked hoarsely.

"I mean it when I say it," Will said. "I want you to be a part of my adventure. I want to be with you when I see the sights and sounds of the world. No, not as pirates, but as people. Real people. No one else deserves this more than you. I love you so much."

"I love you too," Tessa smiled at him.

"Come with me," Will held out his hand and she happily took it. Together the two of them walked up the gangway and to the main dock. _Ithuriel_ jerked away and pulled away from the dock. Idris was just a twinkle of lights and slowly diminished as the boat glided away.

And that was the start to Tessa's new journey. And so, the adventure begins.

* * *

**AND THAT'S A WRAP! Woohoooooo! Eye of the Storm is finally finished. Whew, I can't believe I've actually completed this one. This story has been my little baby for the past three months and it's sad to see it go. It sure was a thrill ride to write this, from the first day I started it until now. I hope everyone had a great time reading this as I had writing it.**

**And with that, I must thank each and every one of my readers. You guys are truly the best. You were there to support me through the ups and downs, the little blips (*cough cough* you know what I'm talking about), my low days, and so down. And because of all of you, I was able to chug through and finish this and tell Tessa, and Will, and Jem, and Cecily, and Magnus's story. I hope you all liked this and that it didn't disappoint. So thank you to all of you. You guys are incredible.**

**So one last thing. I am considering writing an epilogue to this. I'm not completely sure, and this time around I was going to leave it all up to you guys. So would you guys like to see an epilogue? Please let me know!**

**One more time, thank you so much for your support. I still can't believe this is done D:. Oh, and on a side note, I will still be writing A World Apart. Probably not very frequent updates, but I want to continue with that fic. So if you still want to read stuff by me, be sure to check that out!**

**Soooo thanks again! ILY!**

**~The Pale Red Queen :)**


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